Cumbernauld teen to be sentenced for rape
A Cumbernauld teen raped a 15-year-old girl whilst on bail for sexually assaulting another two schoolgirls, a court has heard.
Last updated 7th Feb 2017
A Cumbernauld teen raped a 15-year-old girl whilst on bail for sexually assaulting another two schoolgirls, a court has heard.
The schoolboy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been previously charged with the alleged rapes of two 13-year-old girls when he attacked the third young woman in September 2016.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Monday how the boy was aged 13 when he allegedly raped a girl who was the same age as him sometime between March 1 2015 and August 1 2015.
He then raped another girl on December 29 2015 and appeared in court in connection with the allegations on January 7 2016.
A sheriff at Airdrie Sheriff Court gave the boy bail. But on September 25 2016, the youngster raped a 15-year-old girl.
The boy, of Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, targeted the girls, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, at addresses in his home town.
On Monday, a jury acquitted the boy of raping his first alleged victim between March and August 2015. But jurors returned guilty verdicts on the two remaining charges of rape.
Following verdicts, Judge Lord Kinclaven placed the boy on the Sex Offenders Register but deferred sentence for the court to obtain reports.
He said: "You will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on March 6."
The verdicts came at the end of a week long trial at the high court.
During proceedings, the jurors heard how the schoolboy raped his first victim on December 29 2015.
Jurors heard how the teenager restrained his victim and straddled her before forcing the young woman into having sex with him.
The police learned about the youngster's activities and he appeared in Airdrie Sheriff Court in January 2016. They had also learned that he had allegedly raped another young woman between March and August 2015. He was granted bail.
However, the court heard that he attacked another schoolgirl in September 2016. Police learned of his activities and he was taken back to court.
During evidence, the court heard how the young man messaged one of his victims. He wrote: "I have raped you and I can't live with that."
The court also heard that following one of the incidents, the young man threatened to take his own life.
Prosecution lawyer Bill McVicar urged jurors to convict the young man of his crimes.
Talking about the text message, Mr McVicar said: "He did acknowledge that he had raped her."
Mr McVicar urged the jury to convict the youngster.
He added: "There is sufficient corroboration to return verdicts of guilt in this case."
The jurors agreed and convicted him on two of the three charges.
Following the case, prosecution lawyer Keith Stewart QC - who was appearing in court as Mr McVicar was unavailable - moved for sentence against the schoolboy.
Defence advocate Frances Connor told the court that she would reserve her mitigation to the sentencing hearing.
After deferring sentence, Lord Kinclaven thanked jurors for their service.
The youngster will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow next month.