Vile Glasgow sex abuse gang given life sentences for 'depths of human depravity' crimes

[Artaxerxes II]

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glas ... g-30873134

Warning: This article contains details readers may find distressing. Police said the three children involved had suffered "unimaginable abuse", with offences at the now infamous "beastie house" including rape, attempted murder and assault.

Members of a child sex abuse ring who preyed on victims in a drugs den have been sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow to jail terms ranging from 20 to eight years.

Three children were abused in crimes described by a judge as "the depths of human depravity" between 2012 and 2019.

Iain Owens, 46; Elaine Lannery, 40; Lesley Williams, 43; Paul Brannan, 42; Scott Forbes, 51; Barry Watson, 48; and John Clark, 48, were found guilty following a trial of a string of charges including gang rape of a child.

Four of the accused - Owens, Lannery, Brannan and Williams - were also found guilty of attempted murder of a child.

Owens was jailed for 20 years, Lannery for 17, Brannan for 15 and Williams for 14.

Clark was sentenced to 10 years in jail, Watson to nine years and six months, and Forbes to eight years.

All were handed an order for lifelong restriction, meaning they will be monitored for life.

Police said the children had suffered "unimaginable abuse", with the offences including rape, attempted murder and assault.

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".

He previously said he was considering whether to impose orders for lifelong restriction, which monitor high-risk offenders for the rest of their lives if they are deemed suitable for release from prison after serving a minimum punishment period.

The offences, involving three children, happened between 2012 and 2019.

Owens, Lannery, Brannan, Williams, Forbes, Watson and Clark were found guilty of taking part in the gang rape of a child.

Owens and Lannery were also convicted of multiple counts of assault, sexual assault, rape and causing a child to ingest drugs and alcohol.

Owens and Lannery were jailed for 20 and 17 years respectively.

Brannan was convicted of attempted murder, sexual assault, rape and supplying class A drugs. He was jailed for 15 years.

Williams was convicted of attempted murder, assault, rape and supplying drugs. She was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment.

Forbes was found guilty of rape, while Watson was found guilty of rape and sexual assault, and Clark was found guilty of rape and sexual assault.

Clark was jailed for 10 years, Watson for nine years and six months and Forbes for eight years.

An allegation that the accused used a Ouija board to "call on spirits and demons" causing the child victims to "believe that they could see, hear and communicate with spirits and demons" and making them take part in "witchcraft", was dropped by prosecutors during the trial.

Co-accused Marianne Gallagher, 40, was found guilty of assaulting a child and was "admonished" when she appeared for sentencing on January 6.

Gallagher was told she would be in "pretty severe trouble" if she committed further offences, when she was spared punishment by Lord Beckett.