A former dog trainer convicted of raping and assaulting women over a period of 35 years has had his sentencing delayed again while a fresh risk assessment is carried out.
Ian Hendry, 54, subjected his victims to “sustained” physical and sexual abuse in Fife and Perthshire between 1987 and 2022.
He raped them on multiple occasions, and carried out physical assaults that included repeatedly punching them, seizing them, hitting them with household items, and compressing their airways.
He also shouted and swore at his victims, made offensive and derogatory remarks to them, and made threats with a knife and a pistol.
The former canine trainer also abused a number of dogs in his care, including punching and kicking them, dragging them by the collars, and restricting their breathing.
At the High Court in Edinburgh last October, Hendry was convicted of multiple counts of sexual and physical abuse, and of abusing animals in his care.
He had been due to be sentenced at the High Court in Stirling on Wednesday, but the hearing has been delayed to November while a fresh risk assessment is carried out.
A risk assessment report provides an assessment of whether an offender poses a low, medium or high risk to the public, and is used by a judge when deciding what sentence to impose.
The latest delay comes after an earlier sentencing date in May was missed due to disagreement among experts on the level of risk Hendry poses to the public.
At the High Court in Edinburgh on May 12, Hendry’s lawyer Jonathan Campbell said the defence was “objecting to the risk assessment report” on his client, which had been prepared by Crown psychiatrist Dr Fiona Munro.
A further proof hearing had been scheduled later that month to resolve the disagreement, hearing evidence from Dr Munro and defence psychiatrist Dr John Marshall.
However the matter remained unresolved, and a fresh assessment of Hendry’s risk to the public is now being prepared.
The 55-year-old will now be sentenced on November 10 at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Following Hendry’s conviction last year, Detective Constable Dan Cogan said: “Hendry’s offending spanned decades and he subjected women to sustained periods of physical and sexual abuse which continued over a number of years.
“Our thoughts remain with the victims who have had to endure the process of the trial and I thank them for their assistance with our investigations. I hope the verdict today brings them some sense of closure.
“Physical and sexual abuse will not be tolerated and time is no barrier to reporting a crime. I’d urge anyone who is experiencing abuse to report this to us so that we can fully investigate.”
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