Man raped four women and assaulted baby girl

A “violent and depraved” serial rapist who subjected one of his victims to “the worst pain she’d ever experienced” has been jailed for 18 years.

Dariusz Matejewicz raped four of his former partners – three of them several times – and assaulted a baby girl to the danger of the infant’s life in a string of attacks in Inverness, Aviemore, Dingwall and Glenrothes in Fife.

At the High Court in Stirling, judge Lord Stuart said his actions “constituted a very significant body of offending”.

Matejewicz, 39, showed no emotion as Lord Stuart told him that all his victims had suffered physical and psychological harm.

The judge imposed a total extended sentence of 25 years, with 18 years in custody and the remaining seven to be served in the community, but subject to recall to prison if he re-offends.

He was made the subject of non-harassment orders in respect of all four rape victims – banning him from contacting or approaching them for life.

Matejewicz appeared for sentencing after a jury convicted him of 12 crimes, including five rapes, assault to danger of life, assault, indecent assault, and stalking.

The offences spanned nearly 15 years, from May 2007 to March 2022.

Matejewicz, formerly of Inverness, first struck between May 2007 and September 2008 when he targeted his then partner at locations in Aviemore and Inverness.

He repeatedly hit her on the head and body, grabbed her by the neck, held a knife against her neck and pulled out her hair.

He seized her hand and held it over a hot cooker, repeatedly kicked her on the head and body and forced her to get to her knees and make apologies.

He locked her in a property in Inverness on various occasions and made threats to kill her if she attempted to leave.

She was also subjected to repeated rapes and sexual assaults.

A second woman was attacked and raped at an address in Glenrothes on October 5, 2011, Matejewicz beginning his attack while she was asleep and continuing after she woke.

A third woman was subjected to abuse between October 2013 and June the following year at Dingwall and elsewhere in Scotland when Matejewicz acted aggressively towards her, shouted at her, made threats of violence towards her and her family and took her mobile phone.

She was also struck on the head and body and kicked on the body, had her hair grabbed and ripped from her head and was grabbed by the neck and lifted.

Matejewicz raped the same woman at a hotel in Dingwall on June 21, 2014.

Another woman was repeatedly raped by him in the summer of 2021 at an address in Inverness. He brandished a knife, pushed the woman and grabbed her neck during the abuse.

One woman told the court that she was left bleeding after she was assaulted and suffered the “worst experience of pain in my life”.

The baby, then aged between three and six months, was attacked on various occasions in 2008 in Inverness.

Matejewicz put a fabric ball in her mouth, obstructing her airway and restricting her breathing, grabbed her, held her above his head and threatened to throw her against a wall, and dropped a pram she was in, all to the danger of her life.

Richard Goddard KC, defending, said Matejewicz was born in Poland and came to Scotland when he was 19 to work in hospitality.

He said: “He has a strong work ethic and since 2022 ran his own business in the construction trade.”

Mr Goddard said Matejewicz maintained what had been his position at trial, and continued to deny all the crimes.

Matejewicz was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register

Following the conviction in April, Detective Inspector Gordon Patullo said: “Matejewicz is a violent and depraved individual.

“The women and child affected by actions have suffered deeply, and I hope this [verdict] provides them with some measure of comfort. His conviction is as a direct result of their strength in coming forward and providing information which assisted our enquiries.”