Serial sex offender handed life sentence for assaulting sleeping woman in Shotts

A predator with 89 convictions who sexually assaulted a woman he met online has been handed a life sentence.

Philip Hendry struck as the 45 year-old victim was sleeping at a house in Shotts, Lanarkshire on October 10 2019.

The 39 year-old - who was already a registered sex offender - also bit the woman on the cheek after she woke up.

Hendry was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.

He had pleaded guilty in January to a charge of sexual assault. He had initially been accused of attempted rape.

Judge John McCormick had continued the case on a number of occasions as a full risk assessment was carried out on Hendry.

The previous hearing was told how his crime sheet included threatening to rape a child, making lewd comments to youngsters and taking photos of women without their permission.

Judge McCormick decided to impose an Order for Lifelong Restriction on Hendry due to the "high risk" of sexual violence.

He was also ordered to serve a minimum 28 months behind bars, but will only ever be freed when it is safe to do so.

The judge told Hendry: "You used violence and sexually assaulted the woman while she was intoxicated.

"The offence is cast against you having 89 previous convictions.

"At the time, you were a registered sex offender until July 2025.

"You were subject to intensive monitoring and support due to the risk to the public."

The victim and Hendry, of Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, had met weeks earlier online before going to the cinema.

They went back to the house in Shotts, where Hendry was described as being "over affectionate".

The woman later admitted feeling drunk.

Prosecutor Kath Harper then explained: "A witness saw Hendry lying on top of the victim.

"He had his trousers lowered. The witness could see the woman was sound asleep and he was grinding against her.

"She woke up on the couch and she felt Hendry bite her on the left cheek."

The shocked victim managed to shove her attacker away before a 999 call was made.

Hendry fled the scene, but later insisted to police he had been assaulted with a bottle although could not recall what happened.

Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.