Seven child abuse ring members jailed and warned they may never be released
Seven people convicted of being part of a child abuse ring which plunged to “the depths of human depravity” were sentenced to lifelong restriction orders and warned they may never be released.
The two women and five men were all convicted of gang raping a child and abusing other children in a drugs den in Glasgow where heroin and crack cocaine were used, and were given sentences of between 20 years and eight years in jail before they can apply for parole.
Iain Owens, 46 (top right); Elaine Lannery, 40 (top centre); Lesley Williams, 43; Paul Brannan, 42 (bottom centre); Scott Forbes, 51 (bottom right); Barry Watson, 48 (top left); and John Clark, 48, (bottom left) were convicted in November 2023 following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Four of the group: Owens, Lannery, Brannan and Williams, were found guilty of attempting to murder a child by pushing her into a microwave and trapping her in other places.
Sentencing was delayed until 14 months after conviction, while risk assessments were carried out, which judge Lord Beckett had ordered due to the severity of the crimes – involving three children between 2012 and 2019.
The trial, which lasted for about eight weeks, heard evidence of systematic child sex abuse, described as “harrowing” by Lord Beckett who said it “plunges to the depths of human depravity”.
All seven were found guilty of taking part in the gang rape of a child, and were each given an order for lifelong restriction, while Lord Beckett said: “What you and the community must understand is you may never be released.”
The orders involve monitoring high-risk offenders for the rest of their lives if they are deemed suitable for release from prison after serving a minimum punishment period.
Lord Beckett said: “This court is used to hearing some of the worst examples of human behaviour but such depravity as you demonstrated is beyond my experience. Such extreme abuse seems to be rare.
“The children showed extraordinary fortitude, strength and stamina as investigators struggled to comprehend what you had done to them. The children’s exceptional courage and perseverance in the face of threats allowed justice to be done.”
He said that the crimes “were about as serious as it’s possible to be”, and praised the actions of a married couple who “provided respite” to the children, and rescued them from “desperate darkness of their earlier life”.
The judge said: “Each of you faces at least one charge of extreme gravity; including very serious and repeated sexual offending against a very young child; which includes inducing a very young child to seriously sex abuse a complainer.”
He described the abuse as “life endangering and, in some cases, murderous assaults” and said the sentence was “to deter others and expressing the abhorrence of the community of such atrocious abuse of vulnerable children”.
He added: “I take account of the terrible suffering of the children. The impact is extremely serious and can be expected to be enduring. At the very least you have inflicted extreme damage on their relationships.”
The judge praised victim impact statements from the children, and said: “An impression of innate humanity shines through her words”, regarding the oldest child.
As they were led to the cells, Clark, who was wearing a shirt with “Innocent” written on the back, shouted “There’s nae evidence, there’s nae evidence at all”, while Owens clapped as he was led away by prison officers.
Owens and Lannery were convicted of multiple counts of assault, sexual assault, rape and causing a child to ingest drugs and alcohol, and were jailed for 20 years and 17 years respectively.
Lord Beckett told Owens, who was convicted of 18 charges: “Yours is the worst example of extreme child abuse.”
The judge said Owens’ offences were “humiliating, degrading sexual crimes against incredibly vulnerable children”.
Lord Beckett told Lannery: “As a woman, your role was to arrange and assist abuse by several men. You encouraged and applauded what happened. You had direct involvement as a perpetrator. Your purpose was to corrupt a very young girl to facilitate sexual abuse. You accepted payment.”
He told Williams, who was convicted of attempted murder, assault, rape and supplying drugs, and jailed for 14 years, she “physically assisted several men as you and others encouraged and applauded what was happening”.
Brannan was convicted of attempted murder, sexual assault, rape and supplying class A drugs and jailed for 15 years.
Watson was found guilty of rape and sexual assault and jailed for nine years and six months, and Clark was found guilty of rape and sexual assault and jailed for 10 years.
Forbes was found guilty of rape and jailed for to eight years, with the judge criticising his role in filming the abuse.
An allegation that the accused used a Ouija board to “call on spirits and demons” and make the victims take part in “witchcraft” was dropped by prosecutors during the trial.
Detective Inspector Lesley-Ann McGee, of Police Scotland, said: “I hope today’s outcome can help the young victims in moving forward.
“This was a long, complex and challenging investigation for a team of officers and staff who had to work through the most harrowing evidence to bring those responsible for these despicable crimes to justice.
“Since the investigation began we’ve worked closely with a range of partners in social work, health, education, Crown Office and the third-sector to protect and support the victims.”
Katrina Parkes, Scotland’s Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences, said: “I commend the bravery of the young victims; their strength has resulted in the conviction and sentence of their abusers for these heinous crimes.”
Children’s minister Natalie Don-Innes said: “Firstly my thoughts are with the children who suffered such horrific abuse.
“No sentence can take away their suffering, however the perpetrators have now been brought to justice thanks in no small part to the courage of their victims.
“The public are understandably shocked when they read and hear about such crimes and it is welcome that there will be an independently-led case learning review – to ensure any lessons that need to be are learned and acted upon.
“Child sexual abuse and exploitation are abhorrent crimes and can have devastating impact on victims and their families.
“Keeping children safe is an utmost priority and ministers are working closely with partners to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation in all forms and support victims and their families.”
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