Actor Iain Robertson has been accused of being a “violent alcoholic” who exhibited physical and emotional abuse, as stated by a woman during his rape trial. The former River City star, known for his role as drug-dealer Stevie O’Hara on the BBC soap opera, allegedly engaged in threatening or abusive behavior towards the woman between 2013 and 2015. Additionally, he faces charges of assaulting her twice in 2014.
Furthermore, Robertson faces allegations of raping another woman on multiple occasions from 2018 to 2019, along with offenses involving two other women over a 16-year span from 2004 to 2020. Despite these accusations, he has denied all claims against him.
During the trial’s first day, one of the actor’s purported victims testified at the High Court in Glasgow. She revealed that she first encountered Robertson in 2012 or 2013 as she was completing drama school. Initially appearing charming, Robertson’s behavior soon turned controlling and manipulative, eventually escalating to threats of physical violence.
The woman detailed how Robertson attempted to isolate her from her friends and family, often stirring arguments to prevent her from meeting them. Describing him as a violent alcoholic who consumed excessive amounts of alcohol during their relationship, she shared instances of his aggressive and disrespectful behavior towards her, leaving her feeling distressed.
Incidents such as a volatile car ride during a vacation, where Robertson erupted in anger over directions, and a threatening encounter before a photoshoot trip, where she feared physical harm, were recounted by the woman in court. Despite the apologies and incessant communications from Robertson post-breakup, the woman asserted that the intensity of his apologies correlated with the severity of the incidents she experienced.
Robertson’s defense counsel challenged the woman’s claims based on the lack of specifics in his apologies, but she maintained that the emotional intensity of his apologies mirrored the seriousness of the events she endured. The trial, overseen by Lady Drummond, is ongoing.