'Extremely dangerous' teen serial rapist choked and raped his final underage victim, 13, after being freed on bail

The 17-year-old youth, who can not be named for legal reasons, raped three girls in West Lothian and committed his first sex crime when he was aged 12 or 13.

A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh told the young offender today via video link that he was "an extremely dangerous young man.”

Lord Arthurson said that despite the youth’s own young age he faced a substantial custodial sentence for the offences.

He adjourned the case until June for the preparation of a background report and remanded the youth in custody.

The court heard that he attacked his first victim when she was aged 11 in 2015 in the Craigshill area of Livingston.

He offered to accompany the girl on a walk to the River Almond and suggested they go into the woods.

But he pushed her to the ground and took off her clothes before sexually assaulting and raping her.

Advocate depute Lisa Gillespie said she told him to repeatedly stop but he did not.

Months later the girl told her mother and police were contacted. The attacker made no comment when he was interviewed and there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a case.

The teenager then attacked and raped a 15-year-old near to a canal path in Linlithgow on June 28 last year.

The girl had been with friends when he joined the group, but was left alone with him when the others went home.

He suggested that they walk along the canal together but he began to touch her and told her that he would like to have her in his bed, which made her feel uncomfortable.

He then pushed her against a fence and raped her.

The prosecutor said the teenage victim revealed the rape to a friend in the following days who confronted the youth, who was then 16, by text message.

He replied that he had lost control of himself and wished he could take back what he had done.

Granted bail

Police were contacted after the traumatised young victim later revealed the incident to a staff member at school who raised the alarm.

The youth was arrested on suspicion of rape and appeared at Livingston Sheriff Court on September 19 last year when he was granted bail and set free to strike again.

On December 20 he raped a 13-year-old girl at a flat in Bathgate after he had invited her to the property.

The teenager began choking the girl and told her he would not stop until she said she liked it, which she did say.

He kissed her and picked her up and carried her into a bedroom and got on top of her.

The girl repeatedly told him to stop and tried to move away but he raped her while choking her again.

She was unable to speak because of the pressure on her throat and became tearful but he callously ordered her not to cry.

The girl later sent an email to the charity Childline saying she had taken an overdose and police were contacted and managed to trace her.

The teenage rapist was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.