A DANGEROUS rapist has launched a bid to have his police restrictions reduced.

Sick John McDougall, 34, is back walking the streets of Irvine having been released from prison last Thursday, January 21 – after a 15-year stint behind bars.

And on the day of his release, McDougall called a hearing at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court to try and have his lengthy and stringent Sexual Offences Prevention Order altered.

He was first convicted in 2000 of raping a 19-year-old woman at knifepoint in the town.

But after being released on licence in 2005, McDougall attacked a 16-year-old girl living in a children’s home, less than 48 hours after leaving prison.

The serial offender committed further breaches including contacting 55 different women using a bogus Facebook account in 2012.

And just last June, McDougall was caught with various different Facebook and dating website accounts as well as failing to reveal 100 different text messages with three different SIM cards.

Notes of the names, phone numbers and email addresses of women were also found in his home address.

This offence occurred just a day after his release from prison.

Police are seeking to impose a number of restrictions on McDougall in order to protect the public, including:

  • Preventing him from contacting any adult female he does not know unless she is accompanied by another adult.
  • Contacting any woman under-18 unless unavoidable.
  • Prohibiting him from leaving his home between 9pm and 7am.
  • Not deleting any internet history, phone or text messages.

At the hearing last week, the court heard from PC Tony Dooner of Police Scotland’s offender management unit.

Constable Dooner said McDougall’s history of offending and re-offending sexually was “very, very worrying”.

He also revealed that the brazen McDougall actually bragged about flaunting the SOPO.

PC Dooner said: “There are loopholes he’s aware of. He’s already trying to exploit them. It’s as if his intention is he wants to meet women on their own.

“He does not feel he poses a risk and says it’s not any of our business and public protection is not an issue.

“He told me to my face he will exploit loopholes. He said he could have a mobile with no internet and so would not have to hand the phone over.”

When Sharon Clelland, representing the police, asked PC Dooner if McDougall could be managed safely in the community without notification requirements, he replied: “Absolutely not.”

Acting on behalf of McDougall, Roisin Docherty suggested her client was simply trying to seek clarity about the order, including the definition of unavoidable contact.

PC Dooner said: “I explained if he walked into RS McColls and there’s a female working on her own, that’s unavoidable. If he waits for her outside or asks for her phone number, that’s deliberate contact.”

The court also heard from Detective Inspector Graham Duncan who also works with the offender management unit.

He revealed McDougall was assessed as being a “very high risk” offender upon his release.

DI Duncan explained McDougall’s history of deceit both in and out of custody under the alias of "John Boyd", including having pen pal relationships with someone in Carlisle and even a prisoner in Cornton Vale.

But the relationship with the latter woman ended after a fellow lag spotted his prison wing was known for housing sex offenders.

DI Duncan said: “We want to know who he’s contacting. The concern is he could be contacting vulnerable females.

“He wanted to live a normal life and did not want people to know about his offending behaviour.”

When making her submissions, Ms Clelland said: “Following his conviction on November 14, 2000 for rape he’s a qualifying offender for a sexual offences prevention order to protect the public from serious sexual, psychological or physical harm.

“The rape attack caused serious harm to his victim and he has re-offended on each occasion of probation in a very short period of time.

“Each of the conditions sought are necessary and proportionate and go no further than meets the risks.

“The respondent is a very high risk offender who when in the community needs the highest form of management.”

In response, Ms Docherty added: “While a SOPO could be imposed it’s arguable that the conditions are draconian.

“This impacts in all aspects of his life, he has no convictions for offences against children with one exception against a 16-year-old under supervision.

"This order is not clear or ambiguous it leaves him open to inadvertent breach."

“He tells me he’s been undergoing qualifications for employment in the catering industry, that type of employment just would not work with a curfew.”

Presiding Sheriff Iona McDonald adjourned the case until February.