Keir Wotherspoon

Keir Wotherspoon, a 24-year-old former worker at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, has been jailed for five and a half years after being convicted of raping two women in separate incidents in Glasgow. The attacks, which demonstrated a pattern of predatory and violent behaviour, came to light through the bravery of his victims who testified against him at a trial held in Airdrie last month.

The first assault occurred in June 2019 at a hotel in Glasgow's Kelvingrove area. Over the course of two days, Wotherspoon attacked the woman three times, employing extreme violence including binding her wrists with a belt, choking her, and biting her. These acts were so severe that one of the charges included endangering her life. The second victim was attacked on 11 August 2020 in the Rottenrow area, near the grounds of Strathclyde University, where Wotherspoon pounced on her in a predatory manner.

Wotherspoon was found guilty of four rape charges following the trial. Sentencing took place today at the High Court in Glasgow before Lord Burns, who described Wotherspoon as a serious risk to the public. 'Your attitude demonstrates that you are a serious risk to the public at large,' Lord Burns stated. 'For those reasons, you require an extended sentence. You will be monitored in the hope that it minimises the risk that you pose and that you come to terms with attitudes that are wholly inappropriate. You continue to deny this offending and have no insight into your controlling and harmful behaviour.'

In addition to the custodial sentence, Wotherspoon will be supervised for a further three years upon his release and has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. Brian McConnachie, defending, noted that Wotherspoon continues to have the support of his partner and family, adding, 'He has found it extremely difficult to get his head round that he was convicted of these charges.' The case was reported by the Daily Record on 27 October 2021, highlighting the ongoing issue of sex crimes in Scotland.