A former university professor is to stand trial accused of sex offences against five different women, including students. Alex Duffy, of Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, faces a total of 21 allegations, including the rape of two of the females.
The 68-year-old former Professor of Engineering at Strathclyde University denied the claims via his legal team at a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.
The charges span from 2008 to 2020, with many of the alleged crimes said to have occurred at the university where he worked. Court documents allege Duffy repeatedly made sexual remarks to the first woman as well as being aggressive towards her.
He is then said to have made similar comments to the next woman. Prosecutors separately claim he repeatedly put her in “fear and alarm” with his behaviour.
Duffy allegedly placed “deadlines” on her academic work and told her that a “penalty for non-compliance” was that she would have to perform “various sexual acts”. Another accusation is he got this alleged victim to take photos and videos of herself in a state of undress.
Duffy is alleged to have raped the woman at the Premier Inn hotel in Glasgow’s West George Street between October 2013 and December 2014. The charge claims he pressured her into having sex with him and another woman before she was blindfolded.
View 2 ImagesDuffy was a Professor of Engineering at Strathclyde University(Image: Daily Record)
A similar sex attack allegedly occurred at a property in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, in 2017. Duffy is accused of raping the woman again at flat in Glasgow’s Dennistoun area in January 2020.
This includes claims he showed up uninvited, groped the woman and then demanded she perform a sex act.
The academic is accused of communicating indecently with a third woman and threatening to have her removed from her course. Like the earlier alleged victim, he also tried to get her to perform sexual acts for not meeting assessment deadlines.
Other accusations are that Duffy raped and attempted to rape the woman in a university building and at a flat near Glasgow city centre, as well as in a car in Fife.
Court papers claim Duffy pestered the final two females by making lewd comments and talking about sex with them. He is also accused of effectively trying to blackmail one.
Duffy – who no longer works at the university where he had been employed – faces a trial in August 2027. The case could last for around 12 days. Duffy remains on bail.
A spokesman for the University of Strathclyde said: “We are aware of the allegations facing a former member of staff.
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“As this is a live case, it would not be appropriate for the University to comment, beyond acknowledging that we are cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities.”