Stealthing case rapist Luke Ford jailed for years of abuse

A man who repeatedly sexually assaulted women has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for a series of crimes, which involved several former partners.

Luke Ford has been found guilty of 19 offenses, which include what is thought to be the first case of "stealthing" in Scotland. This term refers to the act of removing a condom or failing to use one without the other person's awareness.

Ford, 35, from Stirling, was sentenced to prison at the High Court in Edinburgh after being convicted of offenses involving nine women, which included the rape of six of them.

During a span of 12 years, he was discovered to have inflicted various forms of physical, emotional, and sexual violence on his victims. This included acts like choking, violently hitting one partner's head against a car window, and delivering a hard slap to another’s face.

It was discovered that he had secretly photographed multiple women and then coerced them by threatening to send the pictures to their bosses or family members if they didn't comply with his demands.

Detective Inspector Steven Gray from Police Scotland labeled Ford as "a hazardous and cunning sexual offender."

The "stealthing" incident involved a woman he connected with through the dating application Tinder.

After going on a couple of dates, they talked about becoming intimate. The woman made it clear that he had to use a condom, but afterward, he admitted that he hadn't used one.

He suggested that she either consider taking morning-after pills or opt for an abortion if she got pregnant.

He messaged her: "Just go get the pill, and if you find out you're pregnant, terminate it."

The woman was deeply distressed and traumatized, calling Ford's actions a "breach of trust."

In the UK, there have only been two instances of successful legal actions against stealthing, one in England in 2019 and another earlier this year.

In court, Ford was referred to as a "working" actor and model who targeted women he encountered through dating apps.

He proudly claimed to have worked as one of Brad Pitt's stand-ins during the filming of World War Z in Glasgow back in 2013. Additionally, he featured in a music video for the band Deacon Blue.

Multiple victims shared their experiences of Ford's manipulative and abusive actions, which led to their isolation from loved ones and created a sense of fear for their personal safety.

Detective Inspector Gray stated that the accounts from the victims played a significant role in leading to Ford's conviction.

He also said, "I hope that being aware he is now in prison for what he did allows them to keep progressing in their lives."

Katrina Parkes, Scotland's Prosecutor Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offensing, stated that Ford was willing to resort to manipulation, coercion, or intimidation to perpetrate his abuse.

She mentioned that he didn't seem to value the significance of consent in a relationship between partners.

It's important to highlight that, out of the various crimes he committed, the prosecutors successfully established that Ford committed rape by not using a condom during intercourse with his partner, who did not give her consent.

She expressed her hope that the people he harmed would feel a sense of "relief" because of the sentence.

Attorneys representing Ford and the government discussed whether he should receive a lifelong restriction order.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Summers chose not to carry out the order, expressing that there was "reason to believe" that Ford could be open to change. He pointed to Ford's relatively young age and his readiness to engage in educational programs.

Lord Summers informed Ford that he would be under supervision for five years after his release from jail.

Ford has been permanently added to the Sex Offenders Register.