Rapist police officer to appeal conviction and sentence

A police officer jailed for raping two women and abusing a third is to appeal his conviction and sentence.

Cameron Ross carried out attacks in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis in 2012 and 2014, before abusing another woman in Inverness between 2019 and 2022.

He was jailed for 10 years earlier this month after a jury found him guilty following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in May.

Ross, 39, was suspended from Police Scotland in June 2022, after the allegations were reported to the force, and he resigned last month.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register following his conviction.

The Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service confirmed that an intention to appeal against Ross's conviction and sentence was lodged on 15 July.

It was first reported by The Press and Journal.

In Scotland, an intimation of intention to appeal a conviction or sentence must be lodged within two weeks.

A note with the full grounds of appeal then has to be lodged within the subsequent eight weeks.

The jury heard that Ross raped the first woman after they met at a party on Lewis between August and October 2023.

The woman told the court how Ross "pinned her down to a bed" before carrying out the attack. She said it had left her traumatised.

A second woman told the trial Ross had sat on her and restrained her before raping her in June 2014.

He went on to subject a third woman to a course of abusive behaviour between October 2019 and June 2022 in Inverness.

In evidence, the court was told Ross threatened to kill the woman, repeatedly pushed and pulled her, threw her to the ground and brandished a knife at her.