AN EX-SOLDIER from Lochgelly who raped three women during a terrifying eight year long campaign of abuse has been jailed.

Kyle Beveridge, 28, subjected his victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to a series of sexual assaults between 2013 and 2021.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that he also threatened one of the women that he’d disclose intimate photos of her to others.

His youngest victim was aged 14 when Beveridge started preying on her at locations in Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly.

He raped her when she was asleep and unable to provide consent.

Beveridge then targeted another two women and raped them at locations in Lochgelly.

READ MORE: Lumphinnans man sexually abused two boys

Police detectives managed to gather enough evidence which they used to bring him to court.

They learned that he had set up a fake account for one of the women on dating app Tinder.

The female told investigators she didn’t have anything to do with the profile, which sought another woman to satisfy Beveridge.

Beveridge, who spent his trial denying any wrongdoing, was today (Thursday) found guilty on seven charges, including rape and indulging in threatening behaviour.

The first offender joined the Royal Regiment of Scotland after leaving school but was forced to leave the army after sustaining an injury.

Judge Lord Armstrong deferred sentence for background reports and remanded Beveridge in custody. 

During the trial, he denied harming the women.

Defence solicitor advocate Jim Wallace asked him: “Did you rape them?”

He replied: “No.”

When Mr Wallace asked him whether he was immature at the time of the crimes, Beveridge replied: “I accept that.”

Jurors were shown a text message sent to one of the victims. In it, Beveridge told the girl that he’d disclose intimate images of her if she didn’t engage in sexual activity with him.

The text read: “Don’t believe me ha ha ha ha. Really won’t be losing sleep over it other than to stay up and hear these jokes from the lads - too funny.”

The message contained crying face laughing emojis.

Beveridge also made negative remarks about a victim’s body and set up a Tinder account for one of the women which sought other females to “satisfy” him.

The court heard that in later years one of his victims contacted him in a text and said: “I can remember waking up to you having sex with me.”

In his closing speech, prosecutor Chris Jones described Beveridge’s behaviour towards the women as “chronic and coercive”.

He said: “It was to meet his demands for intimate pictures or sexual activity with third parties.”

Mr Jones told the jury: “One of the worst things was, I suggest, that he threatened to disclose intimate pictures to others.

“I invite you to see this as an act of gratuitous cruelty to a young girl.”

Following the verdict, Mr Wallace said he’d reserve his mitigation for his client until the sentencing hearing on September 11.