Murder trial witness guilty of raping two women
A man whose evidence helped convict three killers in a high-profile murder trial is facing jail himself after being convicted of raping two women.
Shaun Sinclair, 23, attacked one victim at a house in Girvan, South Ayrshire, in January 2013. He raped another woman on two occasions the following year.
At the High Court in Glasgow, sentence on Sinclair was deferred.
Two years ago his evidence helped convict three people over the death of Scott Blackwood in Saltcoats.
The trial heard that Sinclair raped a former partner in April 2014 at a flat in Glasgow.
He had earlier had sex with her when she was only 15.
The victim described how Sinclair had spread kitchen knives on a table and told her to pick the one she wanted to die with.
He punched and choked the woman before going on to rape her. Sinclair then carried out a separate sex attack on her the same day.
The woman, who admitted she would "jump off a bridge" if Sinclair had told her, contacted the police but withdrew the allegation at his request.
In his speech to the jury, prosecutor Bruce Erroch said: "What calculating behaviour...I say it borders on sadism."
The jury heard that Sinclair went on to rape the woman again on Christmas Eve 2014 - after leaving her to go and have sex with a neighbour.
He held a knife to her throat and beat her up before going on to rape her.
'Catalogue of injuries'
The court heard the victim was left with "a catalogue of injuries".
Sinclair also raped another woman at a house in Girvan, South Ayrshire, in January 2013.
He attacked her after smashing up the property.
The woman had tried to calm him down, but, instead, Sinclair grabbed her wrists and raped her.
Sinclair was convicted of having unlawful sex, assault and rape against the first woman.
He was found guilty of raping the second woman as well as physically assaulting a third female at a flat in Largs, North Ayrshire, in April 2012.
Sinclair was further found guilty of having sex with another 15-year-old girl in 2013.
Judge Norman Ritchie QC also placed Sinclair on the sex offenders register.