Rapist Luke Ford sentenced to 16 years in prison at High Court in Edinburgh in landmark trial

Luke Ford, 35, was found guilty of 19 charges involving violence, sexual assault, threats and abuse against women over a 12-year period.

Of the seven rape charges on which Ford was convicted, one involved behaviour known as ‘stealthing’ – defined as not using a protective condom without a partner’s knowledge or consent, which is rape. The case is the first prosecution in Scotland for this crime.

On Wednesday, December 18, Ford was given a 21-year extended sentence with 16 years in custody and his name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely. Non-harassment orders were also granted, banning Ford from contacting or attempting to contact the victims.

Luke Ford, 35, was sentenced to 16 years in prison when he was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on December 18 | Police Scotland

Ford targeted nine female victims between 2008 to 2020

The court heard one rape victim who was in a brief relationship with Ford, handed him a condom prior to sex and believed he had used it.

He later admitted he had not and instructed that she should take morning-after pills or have an abortion if she became pregnant. The woman was left upset and traumatised, describing Ford’s behaviour as a ‘violation’.

Several victims described Ford’s abusive and controlling behaviour, which caused them to be isolated from friends and family as well as fearful for their own safety.

Ford came to the attention of police in June 2020 after officers attended an address in Edinburgh following a report of an assault. An investigation was subsequently launched with officers discovering Ford had targeted several other women over an extended period.

Through enquiries, officers meticulously built a case against him, and he was arrested and charged in February 2021. In May 2023 he was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow of numerous offences, including rape, attempted rape, multiple assaults and beingin possession of extreme sexual abuse images.

Scotland’s Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, Katrina Parkes, said: “Luke Ford is a serial offender who demonstrated no respect for the consent of his victims.“He was prepared to use manipulation, force or threats to carry out his abuse. He showed disregard for the importance of consent between partners.

“It is significant that amongst the many offences he committed our prosecutors were able to prove rape in Ford’s failure to use a condom during sex – without the consent of his then-partner.

“This demonstrates the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Services commitment to continued development in the way sexual offences are prosecuted, using every tool at our disposal to secure justice for victims.

“I hope that the many victims in this troubling case find some relief in Ford being held accountable for his offending. I commend them for their courage and strength. And I would urge any victim of similar offending to take confidence from Ford’s conviction. Please come forward, report your experience and seek help.”

Detective Inspector Steven Gray said: “Ford is a dangerous and manipulative sexual predator. I would like to acknowledge how hard this has been for those involved and to also tell them that their testimonies vastly contributed to Ford being convicted. I hope that knowing he is now behind bars for his crimes helps them continue to move forward with their lives.

“Anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault or abuse should contact us. Please be assured that we will do everything we can to ensure we arrest the perpetrators of such crimes.”