John Tunnicliffe

John Tunnicliffe, aged 56 and formerly of Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of serious sexual offences spanning over two decades. Convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh following a trial, Tunnicliffe was found guilty of four rapes and four sexual assaults. The court heard that he exploited vulnerable people he encountered through his involvement in drug dealing, using alcohol and drugs to incapacitate and target his victims.

The offences began in the early 1990s. Between August 1993 and July 1994, Tunnicliffe picked up a teenage girl, offered her alcohol, and drove her to a remote location where he raped her. More than 20 years later, after the victim developed a drug addiction, Tunnicliffe assaulted and raped her again on multiple occasions in 2017 and 2018. The woman testified, 'He was the one offering the drugs and I was a drug addict.' She described being 'desperate for a fix' during some encounters, highlighting how Tunnicliffe preyed on her vulnerability.

• Another victim, a 38-year-old woman, reported being repeatedly groped by Tunnicliffe. She was also raped after he provided her with a powder at a house in Galashiels that made her feel sleepy and disoriented.
• This same woman confronted Tunnicliffe after witnessing him sexually molest a man.
• A 25-year-old woman, who sourced heroin from Tunnicliffe regularly between 2016 and 2017, endured sex attacks and a rape. She attempted to resist but was overpowered, as he ignored her distress and upset state.

Advocate depute Steven Borthwick summarised the pattern of abuse in court, stating, 'He took what he wanted regardless of the wishes of these women.' Tunnicliffe's history as a registered sex offender was noted; he had previously been jailed for four and a half years in 2007 for related offences and placed on the sex offenders' register. Judge Fiona Tait imposed the 12-year custodial sentence and ordered an additional four years of supervision upon his release. The case was reported by BBC News, drawing from court proceedings at the High Court in Edinburgh.