A man who preyed on women in Edinburgh was reported to police multiple times before finally being jailed for his crimes
Harkins, 38, was found guilty of serious sexual and financial crimes. He preyed on women across various areas in Scotland, including West Lothian and Paisley. His offenses spanned from 2013 to 2019.
He presented himself as a charming guy, but he had a dark side. Harkins would record intimate videos of women without their consent and then threaten them. He stole tens of thousands of pounds from his victims.
One woman reported him after losing over £3,000 for a fake holiday booking. She felt let down by the police, who dismissed her complaint as a civil matter. It’s frustrating to think that so many women came forward, yet nothing was done.
Another victim shared her experience, saying Harkins tried to assault her while she was asleep. She described feeling confused and uncomfortable. It’s heartbreaking to hear how he manipulated and hurt so many women.
Harkins was convicted of 19 offenses, including rape and fraud. He’s now on the sex offenders register indefinitely. The police are now looking into why the earlier reports weren’t taken seriously.
DCI Lyndsay Laird, who led the investigation, acknowledged that policing has changed since those initial reports. She hopes that victims today would receive better support and that such experiences won’t happen again.
