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‘I’d kill you if I could get away with it.’
These are the chilling words of a Southampton man sentenced to 14 years in prison for rape, false imprisonment, and other violent crimes.
Jack McRae, 29, of Golden Grove, Southampton, appeared in court today at Southampton Crown Court (17 June).
He was found guilty by a jury of the following eight counts earlier this month:
• rape of a female aged 16 or older; • false imprisonment; • four counts of assault causing actual bodily harm; and • two counts of criminal damage of £5,000 or less.
McRae was sentenced to 14 years in prison, with an additional eight years on probation.
In addition, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.
On November 25, 2020, a woman in her twenties was assaulted at an address in the Itchen area. McRae punched her in the face, head, and body several times after she had been knocked unconscious.
The remaining seven offences were committed against another woman in her twenties in Southampton’s Mansbridge neighbourhood between October and November 2020.
McRae caused criminal damage by stabbing a sofa and a cushion on one occasion and a phone on another, both with a knife he carried with him.
During the assaults, he punched, kicked, bit her, and stabbed her with the knife, saying on one occasion, ‘If I could get away with killing you, I would.’
He raped her in November and then locked her in her flat for a week after that.
Both women reported McRae’s crimes to police on November 28, 2020, and have since been assisted by specialised officers.
Amanda Linden-Jones is a member of the Operation Amberstone team, which investigates serious sexual offences. She was the case’s lead officer, along with Western Investigations’ Police Staff Investigator Tiffany Burrows.
DC “First and foremost, we would like to commend the bravery of these women, who were subjected to harrowing levels of abuse at the hands of this monster,” Linden-Jones said. The woman who was raped told us that she thought she was going to die at the time.
“After everything they had been through, to find the inner strength to speak to us and assist us in putting him behind bars is inspiring.”
As a result of their bravery, McRae is no longer able to inflict such heinous abuse on other women.
We hope that this sentence sends a strong message to the public that we will do everything in our power to prevent violence against women and girls, support victims, and pursue offenders relentlessly.”
Please contact us if you have had any similar experiences to these women. “From the moment you file a report, you will be treated with dignity and taken seriously.” If you do not feel comfortable speaking with us, there are other independent support organisations that can provide you with the assistance you require.”