A former professional wrestler who used his chip van to lure victims and has traveled on numerous occasions to The Gambia “to sleep with underage girls” has been jailed for 12 years for a string of rapes.
William Turner – who grappled with ring legends Giant Haystacks and Big Daddy in the 1980s – targeted vulnerable victims across East Lothian and ‘The Gambia’.
The ex-undertaker raped three women during a lengthy campaign of terror which was described as “disturbing and grave” by a judge.
One woman – targeted by the monster when she was a schoolgirl – said Turner offered teenagers work in his van touring East Lothian villages before turning on them. She fears Turner, now 63, he may have struck many more times and has urged any other victims to come forward.
She told the Evening News that Turner abused her in Whitecraig when she was just 14 and believes he preyed on up to 30 victims.
The woman said: “There’s lots still out there – all the girls I grew up with. He used to offer them part-time jobs in his chip van.
“He used to fly to The Gambia ten times a year to sleep with under-age Gambian girls.”
She added: “He was a very abusive man.”
Turner carried out the attacks between 1980 and 2001 across East Lothian with one traumatised victim suffering almost weekly assaults.
Turner denied the charges against him but was found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh of six charges including rape and lewd and libidinous behaviour.
He returned to the High Court in Glasgow to face trial judge Lord Armstrong and was slapped with a 12-year stretch behind bars.
Jailing Turner, the judge told him: “I note that you continue to take no responsibility and lack any insight into the crimes on the women concerned.”
The judge said one victim still feels the “continued and devastating effect” of her ordeal.
A woman in court shouted “yes” as Turner was led handcuffed to the cells.
He was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.
The court heard That Turner, of Whitecraig, was previously employed as an undertaker. He had also been in the merchant navy and used to run a fish and chip van.
Drew McKenzie, defending, said Turner continued to have the support of his wife – who is 34 years his junior.
Following the harrowing case, Detective Sergeant Colin Bowsher of the Lothian’s Divisional Rape Investigation Unit said: “Turner is a despicable man who used his status as a well-known member of the community to prey upon girls and women.
“There is no time limit to bringing these criminals to justice. Regardless of when sexual offences took place, these will be robustly investigated and victims will be fully supported by specialist officers.”
