A violent rapist who carried out a campaign of abuse and assault against two women was jailed for 10 years today.
Lewis Forbes subjected his victims to repeated brutality at addresses in the Highlands during which he throttled both women, one of whom was the victim of a life-threatening attack.
A judge told Forbes, 34, at the High Court in Edinburgh: “You have been convicted of an appalling catalogue of sexual, physical and psychological abuse against two women.”
Judge Michael O’Grady KC said the rapist had controlled his victims through a regime of fear and humiliation.
He said that Forbes’ actions spoke “volumes of your cruelty and contempt” not only for them but for women in general.
The judge said a background report prepared on Forbes was in his view both “revealing and disturbing”.
He added: “You accept no responsibility, you show no insight and you express no remorse.”
Woman throttled
He ordered that Forbes, a prisoner, should be monitored for a further three-year period in the community when he can be returned to jail if he breaches the terms of his licence.
Forbes had earlier denied a series of charges during a trial at the High Court in Inverness but was convicted of seven offences, including rape, assault and abusive conduct.
One woman was the target for his abuse between October 2020 and October the following year at addresses in Inverness and a location in Dornoch.
She was struck on the head and body, dragged along the ground and subjected to threats of violence and that Forbes would kill her.
Forbes also grabbed her by the neck and compressed her throat to the danger of her life in an attack.
He also stopped her seeing and communicating with friends and family and dictated what she could wear. He also repeatedly sexually assaulted the woman and subjected her to rapes.
During one rape committed against the woman at a holiday park he gripped her by the neck, repeatedly hit her on the head and threatened to kill her.
Held second victim’s head under water
The second victim was also subjected to repeated abuse by Forbes in May and June in 2022 at addresses in Tain, in Ross-shire.
Forbes monitored her movements, refused to give her privacy to dress or bathe and stopped her getting medical aid when she was injured.
He also punched and kicked her on the head and body, repeatedly grabbed her by the neck and applied pressure to restrict her breathing and on one occasion held her head under water.
He also raped the victim after pushing her, resulting in her hitting her head off a counter, restraining her and throttling her.
Defence counsel Mark Stewart KC said Forbes had maintained his innocence at trial and continued to maintain his innocence.
He said that although Forbes has a criminal record it was not for similar types of offending, but was largely road traffic offences.
Forbes was earlier put on the sex offenders’ register.