Five men and two women have been handed Orders for Lifelong Restrictions and caged for sexually abusing kids in the city.
We reported how Iain Owens, 46, was jailed for 20 years, Elaine Lannery, 40, for 17 years, Scott Forbes, 51, for eight years, Barry Watson, 48, for nine and a half years, Lesley Ann Williams, 42, for 14 years, Paul Brannan, 42, for 15 years, and John Clark, 48, for 10 years, at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, January 27.
READ MORE: Seven members of child sex ring found guilty of horror abuse
The disgusting brutes were all convicted in November 2023 following an 11-week trial at the same court.
The horrific offences took place between 2012 and 2019 and were reported to police in June 2019.
Following an extensive investigation, eleven individuals were arrested and charged in October 2020.
READ MORE: Seven beasts caged for horror child sex abuse ring in Glasgow
Following their sentencing, Detective Inspector Lesley-Ann McGee, of Police Scotland, has described the investigation as ‘long, complex, and challenging’.
She 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.
“We remain committed to supporting victims of sexual crime and protecting children from harm and abuse.
“We will use all available resources to find and arrest the abusers, no matter how much time has passed.
“I would urge anyone who is a victim of abuse to speak to police in the knowledge you will be listened to, taken seriously and fully supported.”
We reported how the two women and five men will all be monitored for life after being convicted of gang-raping a child and abusing other children in a drugs den in Glasgow where heroin and crack cocaine were used.
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 December while risk assessments were carried out, which Judge Lord Beckett had ordered due to the severity of the crimes.
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.
Following the sentencing, Mary Glasgow, chief executive at Children First said: “No sentence will ever reflect the extreme cruelty and horrifying abuse that three children endured for so long.
“The depths of their suffering will be unimaginable to most people in Scotland, but none of us should turn away from it.
“This is one of the most extreme cases of abuse ever seen in a Scottish court, but every day children and young people in Scotland are experiencing violence and abuse.
“Children can’t protect themselves and they need all of us to help them stay safe.
“And, without support to recover, the trauma of childhood abuse can be devastating and last a lifetime.
“If you have concerns about a child, Children First’s support line will listen and help you work through what’s best for the child. It’s free to call on: 08000 28 22 33 or you can speak to our team online at childrenfirst.org.uk”
