A north-east rapist who told a victim that he had a “God-given right” to have intercourse with her has died in prison.
Former oil industry worker David Cox, 73, subjected two women to rape ordeals and preyed on a little girl from the age of four.
He was jailed for his sex crimes in 2021 and was serving out his sentence at HMP Glenochil when he died on April 13.
As with all deaths in custody, Police Scotland has been advised and the matter was reported to the Procurator Fiscal. A fatal accident inquiry will be held in due course, the Scottish Prison Service said.
Sentencing the former Shell engineer to seven years behind bars, Judge Alison Stirling told him: “Custody is the only appropriate disposal having regard to the serious nature of your offending.”
He earlier denied a series of offences but was found guilty of three rape charges and a further crime of indecent conduct towards the child at a trial.
All the crimes were committed at Banchory and occurred between 1983 and 2013.
The judge said that one adult victim described Cox forcing himself on her “telling her it was your God-given right to have sex with her”.
A second woman was subjected to repeated sex attacks and said he was too strong for her to stop him physically.
Cox, who lived in Stonehaven, also inappropriately touched the little girl when she was aged between four and six and got her to touch him.
The court heard that Cox was employed in the oil and gas industry both in the UK and abroad during his working life.
Defence counsel Drew Mckenzie said: “He maintains his innocence and will do so until his dying breath.”