The three women standing together share a devastating bond: they have fourteen children between them, and all have endured horrors at the hands of the same man. Their stories reveal a chilling pattern of abuse that remained hidden until they found each other.
A Shared Tormentor
Siobhan McTaggart, 37, recalls the night she believed she would die. "He was on top of me, hands around my neck, strangling me," she says. "I couldn't breathe or shout. All I could think was my six-year-old daughter would find me dead in the morning." Her companions, Lynne-Marie Hand, 39, and Charmaine Walker, 35, nod in recognition. Their experiences with Mark McMillan—an 18-stone former bodybuilder they call "the Beast"—followed disturbingly similar scripts.
Parallel Lives of Abuse
Between January 2022 and July 2023, McMillan raped and sexually assaulted all three women. He employed identical tactics: strangulation, beatings, financial exploitation, and non-consensual photography. He even uploaded intimate images of Charmaine to the internet. "It's the most vile thing in the world to think that pictures of you are out there," she says.
Remarkably, none knew of the others' existence. Each believed she suffered alone. Lynne, the eldest, finally contacted police after five months of torture. While McMillan was questioned, she retrieved his SIM card and discovered messages to other women. This led her to Charmaine, then to Siobhan.
Building a Case Together
Their collaboration proved crucial. "Until I spoke to Lynne, I hadn't told another person he'd been raping me," admits Siobhan. "I was ashamed." By sharing evidence and supporting each other, they built a strong case. In December 2025, McMillan was found guilty of five counts of rape and sexual assault.
This month at Kilmarnock High Court, Lord Harrower imposed an extended 14-year sentence—11 years in prison plus three on licence. "This is what happens when you tell women you will kill them if they speak out," says Lynne.
Patterns of Control
All three were single mothers with difficult pasts when McMillan entered their lives. He initially "lovebombed" them, then gradually escalated control. He moved into their homes, monitored their phones, and isolated them. Violence became routine: walls punched, bruises inflicted, rapes normalized.
Lynne describes particularly sadistic behavior. "He made a game out of it. I had to count along. If I didn't let him do it, we'd start over." He also stole thousands from her by pressing her finger to her phone while she slept.
Threats and Terror
McMillan's threats grew increasingly graphic. He detailed to Lynne how he would murder her: dressing in protective gear, wrapping her in cling film, stabbing her through it, and burying her with a dead dog to confuse police dogs. "He said it would be the perfect crime," she recalls.
Despite this, leaving seemed impossible. "People like him get into your head," explains Lynne. "His defense lawyer said, 'Well, it can't have been that bad if you stayed with him.' But it's not that easy."
Aftermath and Advocacy
The women's lives remain profoundly affected. Siobhan had to be rehoused and spent time in a refuge. All three now have panic alarms in their homes. "I love my new place because there's cameras everywhere," says Siobhan. "I feel safe."
Since the verdict, Lynne's Facebook post about her experience has prompted messages from about fourteen other women who knew McMillan. The trio hopes their story encourages others to speak up. "You won't be alone," Charmaine emphasizes as they prepare for the school run.
Their case echoes aspects of the shocking Gisele Pelicot ordeal in France, demonstrating that such depravity exists in the UK too. Through unity and courage, these women transformed silent suffering into justice.
