An Inverness sex predator who left women suffering from the impact of his violence and abuse was jailed for more than seven years today.
Andrew Hughes subjected one woman to indecent assault and repeated rape and physical attacks and threatened a second victim.
A judge told Hughes, 38, at the High Court in Edinburgh that his behaviour had resulted in serious and long-lasting physical and emotional impact for victims.
Lady Hood said that given the nature and seriousness of his offending, the only appropriate way of dealing with him was by imposing a sentence of imprisonment.
The judge said: “You accept a lengthy custodial sentence is inevitable given the offences of which you were found guilty.”
She sentenced Hughes to seven years and four months’ imprisonment and ordered that he should be under supervision for a further three years when he can be returned to jail if he breaches licence conditions.
Primary school sex attack
Lady Hood said a background report prepared on Hughes recorded his childhood was characterised by instability and substance misuse but he has taken steps to address his own long-standing drug abuse.
Hughes, formerly of Aignish Drive, Inverness, had denied a series of charges at an earlier trial at the High Court sitting in the Highland city, but was found guilty of five offences.
He was still a teenager when he carried out his first sex attack in the grounds of a primary school in Aberdeen in 2001 when he restrained his victim, who was aged 15 or 16 at the time, and subjected her to a degrading indecent assault.
He later went on to subject the woman to outbursts of violence at addresses in Inverness and Aviemore when she was struck on the head and body, punched, grabbed by the hair, kneed and gripped by the neck.
Hughes also took her mobile phone and damaged it and prevented her contacting the police and detained her at two addresses in Inverness against her will after locking her in during the abuse perpetrated between 2004 and 2007.
During that period he also subjected the woman to rapes of various occasions when he forced her to lie on a bed and pinned her down.
Second victim attacked in Inverness
Hughes attacked a second woman in August 2019 at a house in Inverness when she was pulled to the floor and put in a headlock. He repeatedly bit and punched the victim during the assault.
He shouted, swore and made offensive remarks at the woman and took her phone and threatened to get a knife.
Defence solicitor advocate Graeme Brown told the court that Hughes has taken significant steps to deal with his drug problem and said: “It does appear he has taken steps to become more prosocial and rid himself of the difficulties he has faced.”
Hughes was told he will be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely following the sentencing.