Rapist and animal killer given life sentence
- Published
Kevin Vivers was given a life sentence on Friday
A man who raped women and killed animals over more than three decades has been given a life sentence.
Kevin Vivers, 58, subjected female victims to assaults, sexual assaults and rapes, and killed animals.
His crimes in West Lothian and Stirlingshire span from when he was still a teenager in 1985 until 2021.
A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh imposed a lifelong restriction order on Vivers and said he must serve a minimum of 10 years in prison.
Lord Lake told Vivers: "I must make it clear this does not mean you will be released automatically at the end of that period."
He told the sex offender he would only ever be freed from jail if parole authorities were satisfied his release would not endanger public safety.
'Depraved conduct'
Expert reports prepared on Vivers concluded that he presented a high risk.
Lord Lake told him: "Your offences are of a serious kind, even when taken individually. When considered together they show a depraved course of conduct."
Vivers had originally denied a series of charges during his earlier trial but was convicted of 27 crimes, including nine rape charges, seven assaults, four sexual assaults and five of animal cruelty.
He told the court via a video link to prison: "I have been penalised for something that is well and truly unproved."
Vivers did not have lawyers representing him in court for the sentencing hearing after he dismissed his legal team earlier in the week.
Lord Lake gave him the opportunity to instruct fresh lawyers for the sentencing.
The judge said: "My impression is you are playing the system in order to avoid facing the consequences of your conduct."
Vivers attacked the first of his seven female victims in 1985 when he was 19. He subjected the woman to repeated episodes of violence and rape.
She was verbally abused, pushed, struck and punched on the head and body at various addresses in West Lothian. The abuse of the woman continued up until 1990.
His first episode of animal cruelty was in 1985 when he began repeatedly punching a dog and kicking a cat.
A second woman was slapped on the head by Vivers between October 1993 and October 1994, and third woman was subjected to repeated rapes and assaults by him in 2007 and 2008.
And a fourth woman was raped, verbally and physically abused by him between March 2008 and May 2012.
During this time he also attacked two dogs by lifting them by their collars, hitting them with sticks and kicking them.
Vivers was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh
Vivers also behaved indecently towards an underage girl when she was 13 or 14 at a field at Denny, in Stirlingshire, on an occasion between October 1991 and October 1993.
He put her on the ground and lay on top of her and later assaulted and raped her at a house in Bathgate.
At the same address, he also killed two dogs by shooting one animal and slitting the throat of the other.
Between May 2017 and July 2019 Vivers subjected a further woman to rape and physical and sexual assaults in Bathgate.
A final victim was sexually assaulted by Vivers at a house in Armadale where he made sexualised remarks to her, touched her leg and repeatedly tried to kiss her.
Det Ch Insp Steven McMillan said: "This was a difficult case due to the horrendous nature of Vivers's crimes and the sickening animal abuse, which spanned so many years.
"I want to make it clear to anyone who has experienced sexual abuse that there is no time limit on when you can report these crimes. I would encourage any victims to come forward and report it to police."
Vivers has been placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.
Lord Lake also made orders prohibiting Vivers from directly or indirectly contacting his victims.