Fife stalker who throttled and sexually abused woman jailed at High Court

Sean Burns accessed his victim's bank, online shopping and PayPal accounts after targeting her for prolonged, abusive behaviour. A judge told the 32-year old the High Court in Edinburgh: "The seriousness of your offending behaviour escalated over time."

Lord Braid also ordered that the sex offender should be monitored for a further three year period and warned that if he breached his licence conditions during that period he would be liable to be recalled to prison.

The judge told him that a background report showed that he continued to deny the majority of the offending he was convicted of at an earlier trial. The judge said: "You have no insight into the effects of your abusive and controlling behaviour."

"Not surprisingly, your conduct has, on the complainer's evidence and according to her victim impact statement, caused considerable psychological and emotional harm to her, " he said.

Burns has 18 previous convictions, involving 20 offences, including assault and drugs crimes, but has never previously served a jail sentence.

Burns, formerly of Dunearn Drive, Kirkcaldy, was found guilty of two offences during an earlier trial at the High Court of stalking the woman and engaging in a course of abusive behaviour towards her between April 2019 and October 2020 at an address in Glenrothes, which included continuing to have sex with her after she withdrew consent.

During it he shouted and swore at his victim and subjected her to derogatory remarks aimed at belittling her. He sent her abusive text messages and destroyed property.

The woman was also kicked and dragged by the hair, and on one occasion, he compressed her neck, restricting her breathing.

Defence solicitor advocate Gordon Martin said Burns was brought up in difficult circumstances.

"He is someone who was taken into care and had a history of foster care from the age of nine months. He had in excess of 20 placements," he told the court. "Clearly these adverse childhood experiences are something that has marked his life as an adult as well.”

Mr Martin said: "In custody he will be able to address anger management and substance abuse problems, if they still exist."

Burns, who followed the sentencing via a TV link to prison, was told that he will be placed on the sex offenders' register for an indeterminate period.