A violent conman who subjected a string of victims to financial offences, sexual violence and physical abuse was reported to the police nine times before his eventual arrest.
Christopher Harkins was sentenced to 12 years in prison in July 2024 at the High Court in Kilmarnock, for 19 criminal offences targeting 10 women over six years.
The court heard how offences took place across the Central Belt in Scotland, in Paisley, Inverclyde, Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Lothian and Edinburgh.
By representing himself as ‘the perfect guy’ – generous, successful and charming – he stalked attractive career-focussed women on dating apps like Tinder.
In truth, he was a violent, thieving rapist, capturing photos and videos of them without their consent and extorting them for £214,000, none of which has been repaid to his victims.
Six months after his sentence was handed down, a BBC Disclosure investigation has unveiled that Harkins was reported to the police nine times by his victims before he was arrested in January 2020.
Tinder Swindler who conned and raped women reported to police nine times before arrestPolice ScotlandVictims told the broadcaster their complaints were dismissed as “civil matters”, but police defended their processes because victims approached police “mainly around the financial situation” and there were no reports of physical or sexual abuse at that time.
The force said their understanding of the abuse involved in their cases became clearer over time with the introduction of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, which came into force in April 2019.
When asked if the force would issue an apology to victims, leading investigator DCI Lyndsey Baird told the programme: “I think they’ve got a successful court result now, based on the investigation that was conducted.
“I would say with everything that we’ve put in place since then, I would hope that that experience wouldn’t be replicated now.”
One of Harkins’ victims transferred him more than £3,000 to book a holiday, but instead, he pocketed the money and the trip abroad never materialised.
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Christopher Harkins scammed his victims out of thousands of pounds
Tinder
On another occasion, he pressured a victim to take out a £12,000 loan and in some cases used his victims’ identities to take out loans in their name.
Harkins attempted to silence one woman he stole from by threatening to send an intimate video of them to her parents.
While giving evidence, the victim described one occasion of their relationship which resulted in Harkins’ rape conviction.
She told the court: “He was trying to have sex with me while I was asleep. The only memory I have was discomfort.
“I remember feeling in pain. I remember feeling uncomfortable. I remember feeling confused. I tried to push him away.”
Sentencing Harkins on 10 July last year, Judge Alistair Watson told the 37-year-old: “The degree of harm caused by you is extremely high.
“Many of your victims were deprived of all or some of their personal savings leaving some in financial difficulty.”
Christopher Harkins was handed a 12-year prison sentence
Tinder
He went on: “It should be understood that I consider 12 years imprisonment to be the minimum appropriate period which gives due weight to appropriate public concern in relation to the type of offending.”Speaking after a 12-year sentence was handed to Harkins, Scotland’s Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences, Katrina Parkes said: “Christopher Harkins clearly poses an extreme danger to women through his calculating, manipulative and violent behaviour.“His many victims have shown immense bravery in coming forward and reporting him to the authorities.“We want to encourage all those who believe they have been a victim of similar offending to come forward and report it – you will be listened to and we will use all the tools available to us to pursue justice.”At the close of sentencing, Judge Watson provided all Harkins’ victims non-harassment orders that will last indefinitely and if breached, will result in further prosecution.