Six members of child sex abuse gang appeal sentences

Six members of one of Scotland’s biggest child sex abuse rings have submitted requests to appeal their sentences and convictions, the Scottish Court and Tribunal Service (SCTS) has said.

Three victims under the age of 13 were subjected to horrific sexual abuse and violence in a Glasgow drug den dubbed “the beastie house” over a seven-year period.

SCTS confirmed that Iain Owens, Elaine Lannery, Paul Brannan, Barry Watson and John Clark have appealed their conviction and sentence.

Fellow gang member, Scott Forbes submitted an intimation of intention to appeal (IIA) against his conviction and sentence last week.

The seventh member of the group, Lesley Williams, has until the end of the day on Monday to appeal or submit an intention to appeal.

The group were each jailed for between eight and 20 years and handed orders for lifelong restriction (OLRs) in January.

Owens was jailed for at least 20 years before he can apply for parole, Lannery for 17 years, Brannan for 15 years and Williams for 14 years.

Clark was sentenced to at least 10 years, Watson to nine years and six months, and Forbes to eight years.

An OLR is a restriction reserved for the most serious court cases in Scotland which do not involve murder, and mean the individual will either be in prison or on parole for the rest of their life.

During sentencing, judge Lord Beckett told the gang that they may never be released.

He said: “This court is used to hearing the worst examples of human behaviour but such depravity towards young children is beyond my experience.

“This is not typical behaviour and such extreme abuse of children seems to be rare.”

He praised the “formidable strength” of the children and their “courage and perseverance”, despite threats from Owens.

During a two-month long trial at the High Court in Glasgow, jurors heard two girls and a boy were violently and sexually assaulted on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019.

The gang would hold “rape nights” and “dance and sex nights” in a squalid flat in Glasgow that was frequented by drug users.

A girl was raped by members of the gang while she was still young enough to wear a nappy.

She described the flat as the “dark and scary beastie house” because she had been locked in a cupboard with a box that was full of spiders.

The girl was also shut in an oven and a fridge and was forced to eat dog food.

An older boy and girl were also subjected to savage beatings and sexual violence.

Members of the gang also used Class A drugs in front of the children and caused them to consume alcohol and drugs.

Following the gang member’s convictions, the Scottish government said the victims had been “failed”.

Children’s minister Natalie Don-Innes told MSPs the government had set up the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group.