Fife rapist who drugged woman jailed

A Fife rapist has been jailed for 13 years after spiking a woman's drink before telling her "prove it" when she confronted him over the sex attack.

Craig Slater, 50, was convicted of sex abuse and violence and getting three victims to consume intoxicating substances without their knowledge.

Slater, from Crossgates, was earlier found guilty of 11 charges.

The charges included rape, assault to danger of life with intent to rape, indecent assault and assault.

He was acquitted of a further four charges of indecency, indecent assault and assault. He had denied a string of charges.

Sex offenders' register

Judge Tom Hughes said at the High Court in Edinburgh the case had disclosed "quite horrendous conduct".

He also told Slater it was quite obvious from the case that he was "a clear danger to women".

The judge said he had read victim impact statements and added: "Their lives have been blighted."

He said: "They came to court and gave their evidence with dignity and the jury believed them and it may well be they can take some comfort from that."

The judge ordered that "high risk" Slater should also be kept under supervision for a further two years.

Slater committed a series of violent and sexual crimes between 1993 and 2014 in Methil and Inverkeithing in Fife and raped three women among his five victims.

One woman was raped after being drugged.

A woman who met him through the Plenty of Fish dating website said she was left feeling "sleepy" and "dopey " after consuming a drink prepared by Slater.

Slater told the court that he had previously taken amphetamine for years but took ecstasy only a few times and denied the sex assaults and spiking women's drinks.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson said Slater still maintained his innocence of the offences he was found guilty on.

Slater was placed on the sex offenders' register.