Teen serial rapist case 'exposes soft touch justice system'
A teenage serial rapist who became fixated with strangling women was freed on bail to attack a third girl, in a case described as an illustration of Scotland’s “soft-touch” justice system.
The 17-year-old, who was locked up for five years on Wednesday, was only 12 when he committed his first rape and attacked his third victim last year, only three months after he was released on bail after appearing in court for assaulting a second girl.
The “extremely dangerous” teenager had developed a fixation with strangulation after watching pornography online from the age of 11, the High Court in Glasgow heard.
Opposition parties at Holyrood said the “monster” should have been detained when he committed his final rape, and said the case raised questions about how offenders were dealt with.
The schoolboy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, carried out the first offence against a victim who was only 11, in 2015. He took the girl to woods in the Craigshill area of Livingston, before pushing her to the ground, undressing her and raping her. Although it was reported to police at the time, the case did not proceed due to a lack of evidence.
He went on to rape a second girl, who was aged 15, near a canal path in Livingston in June last year, pushing her against a fence and pulling down her clothing. He appeared in court on September 19 last year and was granted bail.
Then aged 16, it meant he was free to rape a third girl, aged 13, at a flat in Bathgate the following December.
Liam Kerr, justice spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, said the full extent of a “truly abhorrent catalogue of crime” could have been prevented had he been kept in custody after the second attack.
“Many Scots will be doubly appalled that this monster was able to commit such a depraved assault when he should have been in jail,” he said.
“It’s quite clear this vile individual poses a risk to the public and should be kept behind bars. The SNP’s soft touch agenda must start to put the needs of the victims first - they will have to live with his crimes forever.”
The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to raping the three girls in May. At his sentencing , Judge Lord Arthurson told him, via video link, that he would be placed on licence for seven years after he serves his custodial sentence of five years detention, and will remain on the sexual offenders’ register for life.
The court heard that the boy began watching porn aged 11 and developed a fixation with strangling women.
He throttled his last victim while he raped her in what Lord Arthurson described as 'escalating' behaviour.
Defence counsel Tony Lenehan said: “It is fair to say he had inadequate parenting. His understanding of the adult world came from the internet, computer games and pornography. His exposure to pornography came from 11 onwards.”
After the second rape, the victim told a friend what had happened and the friend sent a text message to the teenage attacker.
He replied that he had lost control of himself and wished he could take back what he had done.
Then, on December 20, 2019, he raped the 13-year-old girl after inviting her to a flat in Bathgate. The teenager began choking the girl and told her he would not stop until she said she liked it.
The girl repeatedly told him to stop and tried to move away but he raped her while choking her again. She was unable to speak because of the pressure and became tearful but was told not to cry.
The girl later emailed Childline and police were contacted and managed to trace her.
Lord Arthurson told the teen: “I am deeply concerned by the risk you present to the public and in particular to young female children and women.
“You appear to be an extremely dangerous young man. You are fixated on the strangulation of females.”
Detective Constable Lynn Morrison of West Lothian Public Protection Unit said: “We welcome this sentencing of this teenager whose actions terrified and distressed his victims. I would like to thank the girls for their courage in coming forward and for their continued support throughout our enquiries and I hope that the sentencing will offer them some comfort as they look to move forward with their lives.”
