The Carnoustie Rapist, Morgan Prior, a counsellor for a children’s charity who appeared in a BBC documentary regarding his polyamorous lifestyle, has been convicted of rape and indecent assault.
Morgan Prior was incarcerated following a jury’s conviction for the rape of one woman and the perpetration of a severe sexual assault on another over ten years ago.
Morgan Prior, who discussed his unconventional polyamorous lifestyle on television, has been remanded in detention and cautioned that he may face an extended prison sentence.
The 33-year-old with a ponytail was convicted by a majority of jurors at the High Court in Dundee but acquitted of four more sexual crimes.
Temporary Judge Gallacher told Morgan Prior: “It is not remotely conceivable that a non-custodial sentence will follow. You have been convicted of two charges.
“One is serious and the other is very serious and the inevitable outcome I will address more comprehensively and completely at the next calling of the case.
“You have been convicted of offences which will inevitably result in a significant period of custody.” He deferred sentence for reports to the High Court in Glasgow on 18 July.
One victim told the trial Morgan Prior had attacked her in December 2010, when he straddled her and used his legs to pin her to a bed, before raping her.
The other victim told the court that during October 2010 Morgan Prior indecently assaulted her at an address in Dundee. She described how he removed her clothing, seized her buttocks and legs and pinned her down, made sexual remarks and groped her.
Morgan Prior was cleared of other charges including an attempted rape in 2011 and an indecent assault on a 16-year-old girl in 2008.
The court was told that Morgan Prior had no previous convictions and worked as a mental health counsellor for the charity Place2Be, which works with children in schools.
Morgan Prior, Wards Avenue, Carnoustie, shook his head as he was led off to cells, while three women supporters embraced and one wept uncontrollably in the courtroom
In 2018, Morgan Prior featured in the BBC Scotland documentary Love Unlimited, along with the women he was in a relationship with at the time.
Morgan Prior told how he was in a relationship with two women – Noni and Hannie – and was enjoying a polyamory lifestyle after meeting the former on Tinder when he was already dating the latter.
Morgan Prior said he had been in a relationship with Hannie for four years when he met Noni and they remained together.
“Hannie introduced me to the idea of polyamory,” Morgan Prior said. “When I mention that to some people they are quite surprised because they think open relationships, polyamory, that’s clearly the man’s idea because it’s lots of sex, right?
“Lots of communication, a little more sex.”
Noni told the programme Morgan Prior was good at “emotional communication”, which helped them maintain their relationship when she moved from Dundee to study drama in Edinburgh.
Morgan Prior said Hannie was “happy for him” to have a relationship with Noni.
He said: “She is very encouraging, she is very supportive. There is a lot of mutual joy in all of it.”
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