A 24-year-old man has been jailed for six years after sexually assaulting six young adults over the course of five years.

Cameron Downing was also convicted of physically assaulting two women after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

He targeted his victims at addresses in the Edinburgh, Glasgow and Falkirk areas between Hogmanay 2016 and April 2021 and Downing was also found guilty of a domestic abuse charge.

That involved conduct that spanned several months and where he threatened to accuse a former partner of raping him.

He claimed he would tell the man’s friends, family and employers and then blackmailed his victim into having a sexual relationship with him.

Threatening messages were also sent to the victim while Downing also demanded he provide his social media passwords and made threats to kill himself.

The victim was subjected to repeated sexual activity without his consent over several months.

Now Downing has been sentenced to six years in prison with a further three years on licence. He was also made the subject of an indefinite non-harassment order to one of the complainers and he will be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Scotland’s Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, Katrina Parkes, said: “Cameron Downing is a dangerous individual whose predatory and manipulative behaviour has inflicted unimaginable trauma.

“It is thanks to the bravery and courage of his victims that this prosecution has been possible. 

“I would urge any victim of a similar crime not to suffer in silence but to report it and seek support.  

“You will be listened to, and we will use every tool available to us in seeking justice.”