An actor who claimed he was Brad Pitt’s body double in a top-billed Hollywood film has been jailed for a string of sex attacks in a landmark trial for Scotland.
Luke Ford from Stirling was found guilty of 19 charges, which included deceiving his then-partner into believing he had used a condom during sex. Known as ‘stealthing’, this is the first prosecution of its kind under Scots law. Other charges included rape against several women, violence, sexual assault, threats, and abuse.
At the High Court in Edinburgh on December 18, the 35-year-old was given a 21-year extended sentence, with 16 years in custody. His name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Ford claimed during the trial he was a jobbing actor and had worked as a stand-in for Brad Pitt on the 2013 film World War Z, part of which was shot in Glasgow. Nine female victims were targeted by Ford over a 12-year campaign of offending, which lasted from 2008 to 2020.
One rape victim, who was in a brief relationship with Ford, handed him a condom prior to sex and believed he had used it. He later admitted he had not and instructed her to take morning-after pills or have an abortion if she became pregnant.
The woman was left upset and traumatised, describing Ford’s behaviour as a “violation”. Several victims described Ford’s abusive and controlling behaviour, which caused them to become isolated from friends and family and fearful for their safety.
Katrina Parkes, Scotland’s Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, said: “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. It is significant that, among the many offences he committed, our prosecutors were able to prove rape in Ford’s failure to use a condom during sex —without the consent of his then-partner.
“This demonstrates the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s commitment to continued development in the way sexual offences are prosecuted, using every tool at our disposal to secure justice for victims. 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. And I would urge any victim of similar offending to take confidence from Ford’s conviction. Please come forward, report your experience, and seek help.”
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