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| Man charged over sex attacks after BBC questions to police | Man charged over sex attacks after BBC questions to police |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Fiona (left) took her case to the police 20 years ago and they were also told of Fee's case | Fiona (left) took her case to the police 20 years ago and they were also told of Fee's case |
| Four women have told a BBC investigation they were sexually assaulted or raped by the same man in the 1980s and 90s. | Four women have told a BBC investigation they were sexually assaulted or raped by the same man in the 1980s and 90s. |
| The alleged attacks took place in Dumfries over an 11-year period when the women were teenagers. One was just 15. | The alleged attacks took place in Dumfries over an 11-year period when the women were teenagers. One was just 15. |
| Days before the BBC was due to broadcast its documentary The Rapist In Our Town, police arrested a man over claims by two of the women in the programme. | Days before the BBC was due to broadcast its documentary The Rapist In Our Town, police arrested a man over claims by two of the women in the programme. |
| The women had first gone to the police 20 years ago but prosecutors decided not to take the case to court. | The women had first gone to the police 20 years ago but prosecutors decided not to take the case to court. |
| Warning: This article contains details that readers may find upsetting | Warning: This article contains details that readers may find upsetting |
| The BBC Disclosure investigation, which began in April, uncovered new alleged victims in the case and features claims that police missed a crucial lead two decades ago. | The BBC Disclosure investigation, which began in April, uncovered new alleged victims in the case and features claims that police missed a crucial lead two decades ago. |
| The man, who the BBC are not naming for legal reasons, denies the allegations. | The man, who the BBC are not naming for legal reasons, denies the allegations. |
| He says the claims had been previously "robustly investigated" and he was never prosecuted. | He says the claims had been previously "robustly investigated" and he was never prosecuted. |
| Fiona - I kept saying 'no, no, no' | Fiona - I kept saying 'no, no, no' |
| Fiona first went to the police with the allegations 20 years ago | Fiona first went to the police with the allegations 20 years ago |
| In 1989, Fiona was 18, living in Dumfries and working in a local bank. | In 1989, Fiona was 18, living in Dumfries and working in a local bank. |
| One night, she'd been out with a friend in a club. They ended up in a taxi with a man her friend was seeing, and another man she didn't know. | One night, she'd been out with a friend in a club. They ended up in a taxi with a man her friend was seeing, and another man she didn't know. |
| "I didn't think that I was in any danger at that point," Fiona said. | "I didn't think that I was in any danger at that point," Fiona said. |
| She ended up in the stranger's home after her friend went with the other man to a house across the road. | She ended up in the stranger's home after her friend went with the other man to a house across the road. |
| "He made me a cup of tea and I asked him could he phone across to see when my friend was coming over," Fiona said. | "He made me a cup of tea and I asked him could he phone across to see when my friend was coming over," Fiona said. |
| "That's when everything changed. | "That's when everything changed. |
| "He started coming across to try to take my clothes off." | "He started coming across to try to take my clothes off." |
| Fiona said: "He had me pinned down with one arm. | Fiona said: "He had me pinned down with one arm. |
| "I kept saying to him: 'No, no, no'. But he didn't stop. | "I kept saying to him: 'No, no, no'. But he didn't stop. |
| "And then once he had raped me, he said to me: 'I suppose you'll say I've raped you now'." | "And then once he had raped me, he said to me: 'I suppose you'll say I've raped you now'." |
| Fiona said the man raped her again the next morning. | Fiona said the man raped her again the next morning. |
| "My next recollection was getting back to my house, taking a deep breath - I'm safe now," she said. | "My next recollection was getting back to my house, taking a deep breath - I'm safe now," she said. |
| Fee - I kept telling him to stop and he wouldn't | Fee - I kept telling him to stop and he wouldn't |
| Fee was working in a bar when she was allegedly attacked by a man | Fee was working in a bar when she was allegedly attacked by a man |
| Five years earlier in 1984, 18-year-old Fee was working in a Dumfries bar the same man used to frequent. | |
| She said she had gone upstairs one night to lock up and been followed by the man. | She said she had gone upstairs one night to lock up and been followed by the man. |
| Fee said: "He knew that there'd be nobody up there. He was prowling." | Fee said: "He knew that there'd be nobody up there. He was prowling." |
| She said the man attacked her and pinned her to the ground. | She said the man attacked her and pinned her to the ground. |
| "He started kissing me," she said. | "He started kissing me," she said. |
| "I kept fighting with him and telling him to stop and he wouldn't." | "I kept fighting with him and telling him to stop and he wouldn't." |
| Fee said the man tried to rape her. | Fee said the man tried to rape her. |
| "And I thought, there's no way, you're not doing this to me," she said. | "And I thought, there's no way, you're not doing this to me," she said. |
| "I just fought and fought. I kneed him, punched him, kicked him, just so he would get off me." | "I just fought and fought. I kneed him, punched him, kicked him, just so he would get off me." |
| Fee said the man then fled downstairs and out of the pub. | Fee said the man then fled downstairs and out of the pub. |
| Threatened with defamation | Threatened with defamation |
| Neither Fee or Fiona, who didn't know each other, told anyone initially. | Neither Fee or Fiona, who didn't know each other, told anyone initially. |
| They say they feared they would not be believed. | They say they feared they would not be believed. |
| Fee said: "I thought it's my word against his. I'll just forget it happened." | Fee said: "I thought it's my word against his. I'll just forget it happened." |
| Within a few years, Fiona started telling people what she said had happened to her. | Within a few years, Fiona started telling people what she said had happened to her. |
| Then in 2005 she received a letter from the man's lawyers, threatening a defamation action if she didn't stop telling people he had raped her. | Then in 2005 she received a letter from the man's lawyers, threatening a defamation action if she didn't stop telling people he had raped her. |
| Fiona told the BBC: "It was probably the kick up the arse I needed to get the courage to go to the police." | Fiona told the BBC: "It was probably the kick up the arse I needed to get the courage to go to the police." |
| The police had also heard about Fee's case and took a statement from her. The man was charged and a file sent to prosecutors in the procurator fiscal's office. | The police had also heard about Fee's case and took a statement from her. The man was charged and a file sent to prosecutors in the procurator fiscal's office. |
| In 2007, the fiscal told the women the case would not proceed because of "insufficient evidence". | In 2007, the fiscal told the women the case would not proceed because of "insufficient evidence". |
| A review by another fiscal in 2010 seemed to close the door on the case, telling Fiona: "There is no realistic prospect of us being able to take any action at any time." | A review by another fiscal in 2010 seemed to close the door on the case, telling Fiona: "There is no realistic prospect of us being able to take any action at any time." |
| Fiona said she was devastated as she believed there were other alleged victims the police had missed. | Fiona said she was devastated as she believed there were other alleged victims the police had missed. |
| In November last year she went back the police, who reopened the case. | In November last year she went back the police, who reopened the case. |
| She said she had since become frustrated at what seemed like a lack of progress, especially around leads she felt were important. | She said she had since become frustrated at what seemed like a lack of progress, especially around leads she felt were important. |
| Caroline - I thought folk wouldn't believe me | Caroline - I thought folk wouldn't believe me |
| Caroline says she was attacked in a phone booth in 1982 | Caroline says she was attacked in a phone booth in 1982 |
| The BBC started to investigate the case in April this year. Soon, a third woman had come forward. | The BBC started to investigate the case in April this year. Soon, a third woman had come forward. |
| Caroline told the BBC about an alleged sexual assault carried out by the same man in about 1982. | Caroline told the BBC about an alleged sexual assault carried out by the same man in about 1982. |
| She said she had been using a phone booth when the man, who was known to her, came in and closed the door behind him. | She said she had been using a phone booth when the man, who was known to her, came in and closed the door behind him. |
| Caroline, who was about 18 or 19 at the time, said: "He literally had got me up against the wall. | Caroline, who was about 18 or 19 at the time, said: "He literally had got me up against the wall. |
| "Before I knew it he grabbed my breasts and I sort of pushed him and went: 'What are you doing? Get out!'." | "Before I knew it he grabbed my breasts and I sort of pushed him and went: 'What are you doing? Get out!'." |
| Like Fee and Fiona, Caroline didn't report it. | Like Fee and Fiona, Caroline didn't report it. |
| "Maybe I thought folk wouldn't believe me," she said. | "Maybe I thought folk wouldn't believe me," she said. |
| 'I didn't do anything wrong' | 'I didn't do anything wrong' |
| Fiona says she gave the police a lead about another alleged victim in 2005. | Fiona says she gave the police a lead about another alleged victim in 2005. |
| She says she provided the same details in November last year when she went back to the police. | She says she provided the same details in November last year when she went back to the police. |
| The BBC tracked the woman down. | The BBC tracked the woman down. |
| Now 48, she says she has never been contacted by the police about the case. | Now 48, she says she has never been contacted by the police about the case. |
| The woman says she was raped by the same man in 1993, when she was aged 15. | The woman says she was raped by the same man in 1993, when she was aged 15. |
| She kept her alleged attack secret for 32 years, and tells her story for the first time in BBC Disclosure's The Rapist In Our Town. | She kept her alleged attack secret for 32 years, and tells her story for the first time in BBC Disclosure's The Rapist In Our Town. |
| She said: "I've come to realise it's not my fault. I didn't do anything wrong." | She said: "I've come to realise it's not my fault. I didn't do anything wrong." |
| The woman said she would have cooperated with police if they had asked her 20 years ago - and that she is still prepared to do so. | The woman said she would have cooperated with police if they had asked her 20 years ago - and that she is still prepared to do so. |
| "If I can help put him where he belongs, yeah, I want to help do that," she said. | "If I can help put him where he belongs, yeah, I want to help do that," she said. |
| Fiona told the BBC she was angry "because this could have been sorted 20 years ago". | Fiona told the BBC she was angry "because this could have been sorted 20 years ago". |
| A few days after the BBC put questions about their handling of the case to the police, they arrested the man. | A few days after the BBC put questions about their handling of the case to the police, they arrested the man. |
| Through his lawyer, the man denied any allegations of criminality and said claims in 2005 were robustly investigated by police at the time, and he was never prosecuted. | Through his lawyer, the man denied any allegations of criminality and said claims in 2005 were robustly investigated by police at the time, and he was never prosecuted. |
| He also denied raping the 15-year-old, and told the BBC: "I was never with her." | He also denied raping the 15-year-old, and told the BBC: "I was never with her." |
| A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "A 66-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a report of sexual offences committed between 1984 and 1989 in the Dumfries area." | A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "A 66-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a report of sexual offences committed between 1984 and 1989 in the Dumfries area." |
| They added that he would appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court in due course and a report would be sent to the fiscal. | They added that he would appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court in due course and a report would be sent to the fiscal. |
| A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: "Sexual offence cases are often challenging and we are committed to continually improving how we investigate and prosecute them, and how we communicate with victims. | A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: "Sexual offence cases are often challenging and we are committed to continually improving how we investigate and prosecute them, and how we communicate with victims. |
| "We recognise the profound impact sexual offending has and would urge anyone affected to report it regardless of how long ago it took place." | "We recognise the profound impact sexual offending has and would urge anyone affected to report it regardless of how long ago it took place." |
| The BBC Action Line gives information and support to anyone affected by sexual abuse (current or historic) including sources of support for children, young people and adults. | The BBC Action Line gives information and support to anyone affected by sexual abuse (current or historic) including sources of support for children, young people and adults. |