November 2018

Scots Tae Kwon Do instructor repeatedly raped woman with mental capacity of five-year-old

A perverted Tae Kwon Do instructor repeatedly raped a 21-year-old woman with severe learning disabilities when he was supposed to be giving her private lessons.

Grandfather Edward Monaghan, 54, of 28 Athole Street, Helensburgh, raped the woman, who has a very low IQ and is assessed as having the mental capacity of a five or six-year-old child, at his home and at the car park at Craigendoran railway station.

The abuse took place on various occasions between October 2014 and January 2015.

Monaghan, a council bin man, was found guilty after trial at the High Court in Glasgow of raping the woman, who is incapable of giving consent.

The beast claimed that the woman was a willing participant and admitted they had carried out some sex acts, but denied having sexual intercourse with her.

In a special filmed hearing shown to the court the woman said: “I was frightened, but I did what he said. He was a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.”

The court heard that Monaghan first met the woman when she was 16 and began teaching her the martial art.

He suggested to her parents, who trusted him, that she should have private lessons. He would collect her in his car from her home and take her either to his home or to a car park and rape her.

The crime came to light when the woman’s mother noticed her on Facebook having a chat with someone. When she saw the messages from Monaghan she contacted the police.

Monaghan claimed in court that he believed the woman, who was a virgin, was capable of giving consent.

Prosecutor Angela Gray said: “He knew that she had attended a special school. When the woman was examined by psychologists she identified herself as a child.

“Edward Monaghan said she seemed fine and claimed he thought she was helping out as volunteer with the learning disabled group he taught.

“Her parents handed her over to Edward Monaghan on the understanding she was going for a Tae Kwon Do lesson, instead of which he took her to a car park or his home for his own sexual gratification. He then took her back to her parents.

Monaghan sent the woman a lewd Facebook message and she replied: “I don’t understand,” and he then told her: “I know.”

He then messaged her saying : “You do have an innocent mind lol.”

The woman’s father described her as being very slow at learning, said she couldn’t go out herself and needed a 24-hour care package.

Her dad said: “I trusted that man. I really trusted him.”

The woman’s mother said: “You couldn’t send her to the shops for bread or sugar. She would have to have help. She has no sense of time and has no idea when dinner is going to be.”

Judge Robert Weir QC deferred sentence until next month and granted first offender Monaghan bail.

Judge Weir ordered Monaghan not to approach his victim and placed him on a curfew from 7pm to 7am each day. He also has to report daily to Helensburgh police station.

He told Monaghan: “I will continue your bail because you are a first offender and have complied with your bail conditions. It does not reflect on any sentence that may be imposed.”

Monaghan was placed on the sex offenders’ register.

October 2018

Garelochhead man filmed woman in bedroom having sex & indecent images of kids

A MAN has pleaded guilty to filming a young woman having sex in her bedroom over a period of more than two years.

Andrew Henderson, 52, also confessed to being caught with more than 4,000 indecent images, with 26 in the most extreme category.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday (October 2) that on various occasions between January 25, 2012 and June 12, 2014, at both a house in Helensburgh and another community, Henderson recorded the woman covertly within her bedroom in a state of undress and naked and having sexual intercourse without her knowledge or consent. He admitted the filming was for his own sexual gratification.

He also admitted taking or making images of children, from new born to teenagers, being sexually abused or exploited. The offence happened at his home from March 14, 2008 to December 2, 2017.

He also admitted between the same dates, of being in possession of extreme pornography, including images of bestiality.

Prosecutor Kevin Doherty told the court: “Police acting on information were told in December 2017 that internet images involving indecent pictures of young children were being downloaded to his address.

“Acting on this information officers went to his home at 10.55am on December 4. Nobody was at home so they forced entry and carried out a systematic search of the property.

“Six devices capable of accessing the Internet were found in the loft area of the house. It was being used as an office study area. At 1pm his wife arrived home and 40 minutes later he arrived. He was questioned and admitted all the devices were operated by him.

“Officers selected one device to examine. It was a hard drive and produced an indecent image of a female child.”

The fiscal depute told the court that 4,004 indecent images were found, of which 1,090 were easily accessible.

Mr Doherty said that 26 of the images were of the worst possible category, including one of a new born female child being abused by a male adult. There were also dozens of images of female girls aged between five and seven being abused.

Henderson was caught with 1,250 still images of extreme pornography, of which 50 were moving images.

Mr Doherty went on: “The recordings of the woman were done in her bedroom when she was having consensual sex with an adult, and was accompanied by audio.

“When arrested he co-operated largely and accepted responsibility for the items seized. He was cautioned and charged and made no reply.”

Defence lawyer Tom Brown said he would reserve any comments until sentence.

Sheriff Simon Pender deferred sentence until November 16, calling for a full social background report on Henderson, including a risk assessment as to the danger he poses to young children.

The sheriff also called for a psychological report and put Henderson on the Sex Offenders Register with immediate effect. He was released on bail.

Update: Now lives in oban, Argyll and Bute. He is the son of the new Minister in Callander and his mother is a primary school teacher.

August 2018

Oban man pleads guilty after sending sexual images to teenage girls

An Oban man appeared at the town’s sheriff court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to sending indecent messages to four different teenage girls via the Snapchat app.

Donald McCormick, 30, of The Greens, Glencruitten had his sentence deferred for background reports until September 12.

He admitted coercing a 14-year-old girl into looking at a sexual image and repeatedly sending indecent messages and photographs on various occasions between March 21, 2016 and July 9, 2017.

McCormick also admitted that on various occasions between October 1, 2016 and November 30, 2016 he coerced a 13-year-old girl into looking at a sexual image and repeatedly sent indecent messages and photographs.

On February 5, 2017 he repeatedly sent another 13-year-old girl indecent messages, while a fourth girl, aged 14, repeatedly received indecent messages from him between February 18 and 23, 2017.