ROSS HUNTER FROM SCONE TARGETS WOMEN IN DISTURBING ONLINE DATING PREDATOR SPREE IN PERTHSHIRE AND EDINBURGH

A disturbing series of crimes involving a man named Ross Hunter has come to light, revealing a pattern of abduction, assault, and intimidation targeting women he met through online platforms. Hunter, who resides in Croydon, South London, but carried out his criminal activities in Scotland, specifically in Perthshire and Edinburgh, has been convicted of multiple serious offenses after a detailed investigation and trial.

According to court records, Hunter’s criminal behavior began to surface when he abducted and assaulted a woman at his residence in Scone, Perthshire. The incident occurred on March 27, 2022, at Hunter’s home on Pinedale Terrace. The victim, who was not from Scotland, had initially believed she was meeting Hunter at a café, as they had arranged through an online dating app. However, upon arriving at Hunter’s house, she quickly realized her mistake. Hunter’s actions turned sinister when he forcibly detained her, pushing her to the floor multiple times during the ordeal. In an attempt to conceal evidence, Hunter hid one of her shoes in a kitchen cupboard and concealed her bag in the living room. Additionally, he snapped off the front door handle, effectively trapping her inside. The woman managed to escape after sending her live location via WhatsApp to a friend, who arrived shortly after to help her leave the premises with one shoe still on her foot.

Further investigations revealed that Hunter’s predatory behavior extended beyond this incident. On November 13, 2021, he was convicted of abducting and assaulting another woman at a Premier Inn hotel room located on Edinburgh’s East Market Street. During this assault, Hunter turned off the room’s lights to prevent her from leaving and detained her against her will. He seized her hair and pulled it, demonstrating a clear intent to control and harm her. The court heard that Hunter and this woman had been together twice at the hotel and also met at a nightclub prior to the incident.

In addition to these two major cases, Hunter was found guilty of assaulting and threatening two other women in Edinburgh city centre on November 10, 2021. During these encounters, Hunter behaved in a threatening and abusive manner. He seized one woman’s mobile phone and threw it to the ground, pushed her, causing her to fall and sustain injuries. These actions further underscore the pattern of predatory and violent behavior Hunter exhibited towards women he encountered in Edinburgh.

During the sentencing at Dunfermline sheriff court, Sheriff Krista Johnston addressed Hunter directly, emphasizing the severity of his actions. She stated, “You are entirely responsible for abusing, frightening, assaulting – and in two cases abducting – four different women, all of them strangers to you. You behaved in a sinister and in my view, clearly predatory fashion towards them. The harm caused was significant and will affect these young women’s lives and futures.”

While acknowledging that Hunter’s physical harm was limited in some cases, Sheriff Johnston also noted his age—26 at the time of the offenses—and his lack of a significant criminal record. She highlighted that the law recognizes individuals under 25 as having a capacity for rehabilitation and reform. Despite this, she expressed concern about the ongoing risk Hunter poses to women he encounters.

As part of her sentence, Sheriff Johnston imposed a six-month curfew, requiring Hunter to remain indoors during specified hours. She also ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work and placed him under offender supervision for 18 months. This supervision includes a condition that Hunter engage in offence-focused work and interventions as directed by his supervision officer, aiming to reduce the risk of reoffending and protect potential future victims.