A PERFORMER who claimed he was Brad Pitt’s body double has been jailed for rape including “stealthing” after removing a condom during sex.
Luke Ford, 35, terrorised nine of his victims over a 12-year period and subjected them to physical, mental and sexual abuse.
Luke Ford has been jailed for rape
Getty Images – GettyThe actor claimed he was Brad Pitt’s body double in World War Z[/caption]
The fiend would prey on women on dating apps and shower them with affection.
Once he had gained their trust, Ford would financially exploit and control then abuse them.
He has now become the first person in Scotland to be prosecuted for in Scotland for “stealthing” – when a condom is secretly removed during sex.
Ford, who claimed he was a stand-in for Brad Pitt on the 2013 film World War Z, was convicted of 19 charges including rape and attempted rape.
The High Court in Edinburgh was told he carried out his vile crimes between 2008 and 2020.
In the “stealthing” case, Ford met a female psychologist on Tinder and the pair later discussed having sex.
She messaged him to stipulate that he must use protection, causing him to respond: “Good idea”.
Before they had sex, the victim handed him a condom but Ford later confessed he had not put it on.
The woman said: “I was shocked and upset. I would not have had sex with him without a condom. I asked him to leave. I felt completely violated.”
When she later confronted him amid fears she could get pregnant, the actor branded her “paranoid” and said it was “no big deal”.
He callously added: “Just get the pill and if you are pregnant get rid of it.”
Ford also took secret intimate videos and photographs of partners and threatened to show their employers and family if they did not give in to his demands.
Some of his victims also told how they were isolated from their loved ones while being controlled and abused by the predator.
Ford had faced a Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR) – the equivalent of a whole life tariff in England – but was instead handed a 21-year extended sentence.
Of this, 16 years must be spent behind bars, with Ford to remain on licence for the remaining five.
Lord Summers said he would not impose an OLR for a number of reasons – including Ford’s lack of previous convictions and a “willingness to accept the wrongfulness” of his conduct.
What is stealthing?
The offence comes under rape in UK law and therefore can carry a life sentence.
There is no criminal offence called stealthing as a result but the word is used when someone removes a condom during sex without the other person’s consent or lies about putting one on.
The UK’s first successful prosecution for the offence came in 2019.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of stealthing, or if you would like more information, please visit: rapecrisis.org.uk
The judge added: “While this is not a decisive factor, I consider that it indicates that you are gaining some insight into the true nature of your conduct rather than blaming the victims.”
Katrina Parkes, Scotland’s procurator fiscal for high court sexual offending, added: “Luke Ford is a serial offender who demonstrated no respect for the consent of his victims.
“He was prepared to use manipulation, force or threats to carry out his abuse. He showed disregard for the importance of consent between partners.
“I hope that the many victims in this troubling case find some relief in Ford being held accountable for his offending. I commend them for their courage and strength.”
Ford was convicted of a string of sex offences
He was also found guilty of rape after ‘stealthing’ one of his victims Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
