Stealthing case rapist jailed over years of abuse

A serial rapist has been jailed for 16 years over a catalogue of offences towards women, including several ex-partners.

Luke Ford's 19 convictions include what is believed to be the first in Scotland for "stealthing" - where a condom is removed or not used without a partner's knowledge.

Ford, 35, from Stirling, was jailed at the High Court in Edinburgh for charges of abuse against nine women - including the rape of six of them.

Over a 12-year period he was found to have subjected his victims to physical, mental and sexual abuse, including strangling, smashing one partner's head on a car window, and slapping another hard across the face.

He was also found to have taken pictures of several women, often without their knowledge, and then threatened to share the images with their employers or family unless they did as he said.

Police Scotland Det Insp Steven Gray described Ford as "a dangerous and manipulative sexual predator".

The "stealthing" case concerned a woman he met on dating app Tinder.

After a few dates they discussed having sex. The woman insisted that he would need to wear a condom, but after having sex he told her he had not worn it.

He said she should take morning-after pills or have an abortion if she became pregnant.

He texted: "Just get the pill and if you are pregnant get rid of it."

The woman was left upset and traumatised, describing Ford's behaviour as a "violation".

There have only been only two previous successful prosecutions for stealthing in the UK, in England in 2019 and earlier this year.

Ford was described in court as a "jobbing" actor and model, who preyed on women that he met via dating apps.

He boasted of being one of Brad Pitt's stand-ins when the Hollywood star filmed World War Z in Glasgow in 2013. He also appeared in a Deacon Blue music video.

Several victims described Ford's abusive and controlling behaviour, which caused them to be isolated from friends and family as well as fearful for their own safety.

Det Insp Gray said that the victims testimonies "vastly contributed" to Ford being convicted.

He added: "I hope that knowing he is now behind bars for his crimes helps them continue to move forward with their lives."

Scotland's Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, Katrina Parkes, said that Ford was prepared to use manipulation, force or threats to carry out his abuse.

She said: "He showed disregard for the importance of consent between partners.

"It is significant that amongst the many offences he committed our prosecutors were able to prove rape in Ford's failure to use a condom during sex – without the consent of his then-partner."

She added that hopefully his victims would find "relief" over the sentence.

Lawyers acting for Ford and the Crown had debated whether he should be subjected to an order for lifelong restriction.

At the High Court in Edinburgh Lord Summers declined to implement the order, saying there was "reason to think" Ford may be amenable to change, citing his relative youth and willingness to take part in educational workshops.

Lord Summers told Ford he would be subjected to five years supervision following his release from custody.

Ford was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Stealthing is when a man removes a condom during sex despite agreeing to wear one.

Legal experts and campaigners describe it as "non-consensual condom removal during sexual intercourse".

Put simply that means taking it off or deliberately damaging it midway through sex without telling the other person.

Victims' charities say it must be treated as rape because the other person has not given consent - and that it is a hugely under-reported problem.

A study carried out as far back as 2017 by Alexandra Brodsky in Columbia Journal of Gender and Law warned it was a growing issue.

The report says it "exposes victims to physical risks of pregnancy and disease" and is "experienced by many as a grave violation of dignity".

It adds that "apart from the fear of specific bad outcomes like pregnancy and STIs, all of the survivors experienced the condom removal as a disempowering, demeaning violation of a sexual agreement".

There is advice and help here at BBC Action Line.