Former Police Scotland officer Cameron Ross has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping two women and subjecting a third to a campaign of domestic abuse. The 39-year-old, whose address was listed as Inverness, was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday.
Offences Spanning a Decade
Ross was a serving Police Scotland officer when he committed the offences in Inverness and on the Isle of Lewis between 2012 and 2022. He was later suspended and resigned from the force. Prosecutors described his actions as “sustained offending,” noting he persistently broke the law.
Convictions and Sentencing
He was found guilty of five charges at a trial at the same court in May, including two counts of rape and one of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The court heard that Ross abused his position of trust as a police officer.
Police Scotland Response
Chief Superintendent Helen Harrison, head of professional standards at Police Scotland, stated: “Cameron Ross has been convicted for repeatedly abusing and sexually abusing women. We’ve worked closely with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to achieve this outcome. Ross was a serving officer at the time of these offences and when the report was received in June 2022, we immediately suspended him. He has since resigned from the service. If he had remained, we would have progressed gross misconduct proceedings and he would have been dismissed as his actions and behaviour will not be tolerated in Police Scotland. I want to thank those who came forward and recognise how difficult that can be when the perpetrator is a police officer.”
Crown Office Statement
Faye Cook, the procurator fiscal for High Court sexual offences, commented: “Cameron Ross carried out deliberate and repeated acts of abuse against women over the course of a decade. This was sustained offending, which caused significant harm. As a police officer, he was in a position of trust. Instead of upholding the law, he chose to break it in a serious and persistent way. I would urge anyone affected by similar offending to come forward and report it. The Crown is committed to prosecuting those responsible for sexual and domestic abuse, regardless of who they are.”
Impact and Aftermath
The case highlights the abuse of power by a trusted public servant. Ross’s resignation came after the force suspended him upon receiving a report in June 2022. The 10-year sentence reflects the severity of his crimes, which caused significant harm to his victims over a prolonged period.
