‘Witches and wizards’ paedophile ring could endanger children’s lives if they are ever released, says judge
A “witches and wizards” paedophile ring could “seriously endanger” young children’s lives if its seven members were freed, a judge has said as he warned they faced life sentences.
Five men and two women were convicted in November in what is believed to be the largest prosecution of a child abuse ring in Scotland.
They were due to be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday but the trial judge said he first wanted a risk assessment conducted for each defendant.
These will help Judge Lord Beckett assess whether a lifelong restriction order should be placed on some or all of the gang members.
Three already vulnerable youngsters in particular were subjected to relentless rape, wanton violence and drug taking at the dirty hovel in the city known as the “beastie house”.
It included one girl being pinned down and attacked as some of the gang cheered, hollered and encouraged what was happening.
One of the girls was “put in an oven” as well as padlocked in a fridge and shut in a cupboard with “beetles and spiders in it”. The same child described the flat as the “dark and scary beastie house”.
What was described as a satanic “coven” - a mixture of “witches and wizards” - were also said to have got the children involved in “occult practices”, casting “spells” and turning them into animals. A young boy was also made to courier drugs on behalf of one member of the gang.
Prosecutors dropped allegations of the use of a Ouija board during the eight-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow, and all the accused were found not guilty of killing dogs.
The ordeals only emerged after the victims related their experiences to a couple with whom they became acquainted, before a massive police investigation was initiated.
Jurors had returned verdicts on 21 charges which occurred between April 2012 and June 2019.
Iain Owens, 45, was convicted of 18 charges including the rape of the three children and the attempted murder of one involving shutting her in a microwave and other kitchen appliances. The jobless addict was also guilty of other sex offences and class A drug supply.
Elaine Lannery, 39, was convicted of the rape of the children among the 12 charges she faced.
Lesley Williams, 42, was convicted of five charges including the rape of two girls.
Paul Brannan, 40, was found guilty of seven charges which included the rape of all the three sex abuse victims.
Lannery, Williams and Brannan were also convicted of attempted murder.
Scott Forbes, 50, was found guilty of the rape of one of the girls.
Barry Watson and John Clark, both 47, joined them in the dock having been found to have raped two of the young victims.
Marianne Gallagher was cleared of sex abuse, but was convicted of being part of an assault on one girl. The 39-year-old was spared jail and ordered to be of good behaviour for 12 months.
During sentencing Judge Lord Beckett said they had been “convicted of sexual abuse of a young child in the most appalling circumstances”.
He said: “Parliament has said that if the court considers a criteria may be met then it must make a risk assessment order. This is to identify how to protect the public from serious harm.
“In light of the nature of the charges you are convicted, all the evidence led and the information on each of you it appears to me that with the nature of the circumstances of this offence, you may, at liberty, seriously endanger members of the public at large, particularly younger children.”
He said it was “not inevitable” that a lifelong restriction order would be imposed on any or all of them, saying the circumstances of each of the seven varied.
However, he added: “Understand each of you face a substantial prison sentence and these may be extended.”
Many of the defendants continued to insist they were innocent with some expecting to be cleared. Three of those on trial - Mark Carr, 49, Richard Gachagan, 46, and Leona Laing, 51, - were acquitted of all charges.
The case was deferred until Tuesday next week for a risk assessor to be identified for each person. All those convicted were remanded in custody.
