Helensburgh rapist jailed for brutal attacks on two women

James Beck attacked his two victims, one of them in Helensburgh, at the risk of his life and raped them during the attacks he carried out on them.

A judge told Beck that he had read statements from women who had suffered the harmful effects of the abuse.

Lord Summers said a woman had given evidence of the “extreme violence” Beck had used against her.

The judge said the other woman was attacked in bed after Beck entered her apartment and brutally raped her.

Lord Summers told the High Court in Edinburgh: “It must have been a terrible experience for her.”

Beck, 58, had previously denied a number of charges in court, but was found guilty by a jury at the High Court in Stirling of two counts of rape and two counts of grievous bodily harm.

He attacked his first victim at an address in a village near Airdrie and threatened to kill her.

Beck hurled plates of food and household items at her and choked the woman, leaving her breathless.

In addition, between January 1997 and September 1999, he entered the woman’s house uninvited, dragged her out of bed, tied her hands and then harassed and raped her.

Beck raped the second woman on May 5, 2005 in a house in Helensburgh.

During the sexual assault, he held her down, grabbed her, and bit her breasts and nipples.

The next day, he attacked the same victim by threatening her with a knife, grabbed her by the neck, strangled her and repeatedly hit her on the head with a piece of jewelry.

Defence lawyer Janice Green said: “These are serious offences for which he expects a heavy sentence.”

The court heard that a background report prepared on Beck suggested he posed a high risk of sexual offending.

However, the defense attorney said that considering his previous convictions, there was no indication of a tendency to commit such serious crimes.

She said Beck began abusing drugs at age 15 but was now a more mature man and had sought drug counseling while in prison.

Lord Summers ordered that Beck be kept under supervision for a further two years and could be sent back to prison if he breaches the conditions.

The judge issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting him from having any contact with his two victims for the next ten years.

Beck was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.