Description
A 'narcissistic predator' found guilty of multiple rapes, serious physical and sexual assault over a twenty-year campaign of terror has been caged for 12 years.
James Cunningham, 56, was found guilty of multiple rapes of three different women as well as serious physical and sexual assaults of others on February 3. He carried out the offences on women and children in Fife between 1985 and 2008.
His crimes were reported to police in 2019 and an investigation was launched. At the High Court in Livingston today (March 2), he was jailed for 12 years with an extension period of four years and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
During a trial last month, the jury found Cunningham guilty unanimously on all but one charge, and guilty by a majority of the remaining charge.
The offender groomed young vulnerable females by placing himself in a position of power over them before committing numerous sexual and physical offences "of the most serious kind".
Judge Susan Craig said: "You had conducted years of abusive, manipulative and controlling behaviour of your victims whose lives continue to be blighted by your appalling treatment of them.
"When they tried to escape from you, you used that power to force them back and continued to abuse them. When, in time, they were able to escape from your influence you would immediately replace them with another young victim who you would again subject to years of sexual and physical abuse.
"Your controlling and abusive behaviour wasn’t confined to your sexual relationships but extended to those over whom you had power. You made their lives a misery by controlling what they could and couldn’t do and imposing random rules of behaviour.
"If they did not behave according to your rules you would use physical and humiliating punishments. Their childhoods were blighted by your appalling treatment. That they have been able to make successful lives as adults is a testament to their resilience in spite of, not because of, what you did."
Judge Craig described a criminal social work report into Cunningham as "grim reading". It stated that his sexual and violent abuse was committed against intimate partners as well as children.
Cunningham continued to plead his innocent throughout his trial and significantly blamed his victims. Judge Craig said the 56-year-old posed a high risk of committing further sexual and violent offences against females of all ages and due to the gravity of his crimes a custodial sentences was the only appropriate outcome.
Detective Constable Ross French from Fife Division said: “Cunningham is a narcissistic predator who has refused to admit his guilt and has shown no remorse for his despicable crimes.
“I want to commend the victims for the strength they have shown throughout this investigation and trial. My thoughts remain with them and I hope that this sentencing brings them some comfort and helps them move forward.
“We have detectives dedicated to investigating such offences, and no matter how much time has passed, please report it. You can be assured that you will be fully supported by officers and our partner agencies."