June 2014

Convicted baby rapist jailed for sex attacks on two young girls

A convicted child rapist has been jailed for sexually abusing two young girls.

Iain McKerrell, 47, has been jailed for nine years in prison after admitting to raping a girl when she was aged between nine and 11.

He repeatedly abused the youngster while babysitting at his home in Paisley between 2000 and 2003.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that McKerrell was jailed for 13 years in 2006 for the rape of a 11 month old baby girl over a four-year-period from 2000 to 2004.

The sentence, which also covered the sexual abuse of an eight year old girl over a four year period, was subsequently reduced to nine-and-a-half years on appeal.

A judge told McKerrell that he was guilty of “despicable” and “heinous” offences as she jailed him for nine years at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday.

The court earlier heard how McKerrell, from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, left his rape victim crying and shaking.

He told her: “The quicker you stay still the quicker it will be over.”

Prosecutor David Taylor added: “The girl was shouting: ‘Please let me go’ and he put his hands over her mouth.”

Afterwards when she began to cry, McKerrell put her to bed and said: “Everyone has nightmares.”.

The girl did not report the rapes to the authorities until last year. The court heard McKerrell also abused an eight year-old in February 2002.

When police confronted McKerrell about these latest allegations, he told them: “I don’t know anything about this.”

He had previously been jailed in 2006 for raping a baby girl over a four-year period. He had initially been locked up for 13 years, but this was reduced to nine and a half on appeal.

McKerrell was out on licence for these offences when the new allegations against him were made.

Lady Rae told McKerrell: “The sexual abuse of defenceless young children is to any decent thinking person one of the most heinous crimes.

“Your actions to both these young victims were, on any view, despicable.”

May 2014

Man who raped 11 month old baby admits two more attacks on young girls

A man who was jailed for raping a 11 month old baby and sexually abusing a young girl has admitted rape and sex abuse offences against two other young girls.

Iain McKerrell, 47, raped a girl five or six times when she was aged between nine and 11 between December 2000 and June 2003.

He also pleaded guilty to sexually abusing an eight-year-old girl with learning difficulties in February 2002.

Sentence on McKerrell, who was jailed in 2006, was deferred.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that McKerrell was jailed for 13 years in 2006 for the rape of the baby girl over a four-year-period from 2000 to 2004.

The sentence, which also covered the sexual abuse of a young girl over a four year period, was subsequently reduced to nine-and-a-half years on appeal.

McKerrell, from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, was out on licence from November 2012 for these offences when the new allegations against him were made.

The court heard that rape took place while McKerrell babysat the girl at his then home in Paisley between December 2000 and June 2003.

The girl did not report the rapes to the authorities until last year.

The court heard that he also sexually abused an eight-year-old girl with learning difficulties in February 2002.

When police initially confronted McKerrell about the rape and sexual abuse he told them: “I don’t know anything about this.”

Judge Lady Rae deferred sentence on McKerrell until June at the High Court in Edinburgh.

She told him: “I shall ask for a background report and a risk assessment.”

Lady Rae also placed McKerrell on the sex offenders’ register.

August 2006

Baby rapist jailed for 13 years

A man who raped a baby and sexually abused another girl has been jailed for 13 years at the High Court in Glasgow.

Iain McKerrell, 39, of Shortroods Road, Paisley, admitted repeatedly raping the baby between 2000 and 2004.

The court heard that the child may have been as young as 11 months old when McKerrell first raped her.

He also admitted systematic sexual abuse using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards another girl, aged 12, over four years.

Sentencing McKerrell, judge Lord Hardie said: “No right thinking person could imagine your actions.”

He said that the baby’s age when she was first raped was not known.

What was known was that the rapes occurred at a time when she was aged between 11 months and four years and six months.

Lord Hardie added: “On any view she was still a baby.”

The judge placed McKerrell on the sex offenders’ register for life.

He ordered him to serve 13 years in jail plus an extended sentence, which will see him serve a further 10 years on licence outside prison.

The baby’s mother said: “He should be in jail for every one of these 23 years.

“The man is a monster. If I could murder him myself, I would. I hate him for what he’s done and I hope he dies in jail.”

During an earlier hearing, Lord Hardie heard how the girl’s ordeal came to light when she revealed McKerrell had “done bad things” to her.

She is now said to be doing well at school.

The second victim’s ordeal began when she was 12 and lasted four years.

McKerrell admitted using lewd, indecent, and libidinous practices towards her in houses in Erskine and Paisley.

After her sexual abuse came to light she was admitted to the psychiatric ward of Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital.

The girl was allocated a community psychiatric nurse after her release from hospital and is now at college being supported by a student counsellor.