Predator given ‘soft touch’ by Scottish justice system went on to commit rape

[Social Media]

 

A predator who escaped prosecution under Scotland’s “soft touch” justice system after sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl went on to rape another teenager. Lennox McGhee did not face court action and benefitted from a “diversion from prosecution” scheme after he carried out a serious sexual attack in 2020 at the age of 15 on another child.

Less than two years later, he went on to rape a 15-year-old girl in woods in his hometown of East Kilbride, Lanarkshire. The victim’s mother said that the earlier let off under an initiative that refers some young offenders to social workers and therapists instead of facing justice had left McGhee free to attack her daughter.

 

The court heard that the ordeal had left the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, “broken”. McGhee, now aged 19, was jailed for four years and eight months for rape at the High Court in Glasgow. ‘System is disgraceful’ “We’re furious. If he had been given the same jail sentence the first time around, he wouldn’t have been free to attack my daughter,” the mother told The Sunday Mail.

“A system that allows rapists to avoid going to court and offers them things like therapy is disgraceful. A victim of rape has endured the most heinous of crimes and for them it doesn’t end after the attack. My daughter has to live with this for the rest of her life. “We were relieved that he was given time in prison and that he is now behind bars but we wish he had been given longer. If it had been counted as his second offence, it would have been,” she added.

The Lord Advocate ordered a review of so-called “diversion from prosecution” rules last year following two separate cases in which those accused of rape escaped punishment. However, it is yet to be completed. In 2020, McGhee allegedly pushed a girl to the ground, restrained her and repeatedly carried out a sex act on her “without her consent”. Rather than facing court, he was handed a “diversion from prosecution”, the details of which emerged in the later rape trial.

Liam Kerr, the shadow justice spokesman for the Scottish Tories, said: “This is an appalling case, which many suggest a more robust earlier intervention would have prevented. “It’s obvious that under the SNP’s soft-touch justice, diversion from prosecution is being applied in ways that are completely inappropriate. “The public want guarantees that weak penalties are never applied in serious cases, especially those such as rape and sexual assault.”

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph 2024-12-24

 

 

 

[JonnyF]

4 hours ago, Social Media said:

A predator who escaped prosecution under Scotland’s “soft touch” justice system after sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl went on to rape another teenager. Lennox McGhee did not face court action and benefitted from a “diversion from prosecution” scheme after he carried out a serious sexual attack in 2020 at the age of 15 on another child.

 

This appears to be a pattern.

 

A soft touch for sexual offenders (especially if they work for the BBC) but an iron fist for being "grossly offensive" on social media.

 

No wonder The British are losing faith in the justice system. 

[Bday Prang]

Jesus when will they learn ?  Its not exactly rocket science

[Thingamabob]

A tragic case. The justice system throughout the UK is no longer to be trusted.

[Drumbuie]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

 

This appears to be a pattern.

 

A soft touch for sexual offenders (especially if they work for the BBC) but an iron fist for being "grossly offensive" on social media.

 

No wonder The British are losing faith in the justice system. 

Putting somebody in prison costs tens of thousands per year and basically enrols then in the University of Criminality. 

 

He was 15 when he committed his first offence, and still a child. There was a chance that he might be diverted from the path and a humane ( Scottish - different from the English) legal system gave him that chance. 

 

Unfortunately he failed to be diverted from his downward trajectory - but with the British press, you'll never hear the success stories about the ones who took that chance to change their lives. Note the Scottish Tories' finger pointing, too. 

 

Newspapers have an agenda. Don't fall for it. 

[jippytum]

Two young girls traumatised for life. The justice system failed to protect these young lives because the court allowed a rapist to walk free after his first serious offence. 

Woman and children in the UK are not receiving the protection they deserve from the judicial system far too lenient on serious offenders. 

[RichardColeman]

It truly is about time the justice system became liable for acts committed by these people - if they knew they themselves would be financially punished, they may well treat them differently

[john donson]

so say something anti woke and end up in jail, but rapist gets 'soft touch'...

 

forced castration, you know,  gender bending drugs they give to 'trans' wanna be kids should be at least given by injection on a regular bases and if they evade, instant full jail term

 

but who am i kidding

[black tabby12345]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

 

This appears to be a pattern.

 

A soft touch for sexual offenders (especially if they work for the BBC) but an iron fist for being "grossly offensive" on social media.

 

No wonder The British are losing faith in the justice system. 

 

Iron Fist.

That is the only thing sexual offenders really deserve.

No points of protecting vermin in the shape of man.

Those predators should be forcedly desexed.

Or marked with GPS tag after jail term and close monitoring of the location including alert to the community(as practiced in USA and South Korea).

It is said to promotes the suicide of those after release; rather welcoming phenomenon to the society. 

 

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Drumbuie said:

Putting somebody in prison costs tens of thousands per year and basically enrols then in the University of Criminality. 

 

He was 15 when he committed his first offence, and still a child. There was a chance that he might be diverted from the path and a humane ( Scottish - different from the English) legal system gave him that chance. 

 

Unfortunately he failed to be diverted from his downward trajectory - but with the British press, you'll never hear the success stories about the ones who took that chance to change their lives. Note the Scottish Tories' finger pointing, too. 

 

Newspapers have an agenda. Don't fall for it. 

 

The only thing I am not falling for is the left's constant hand wringing and subsequent soft sentences for rapists and child abusers, while giving multiple year jail sentences for social media posts. 

[JonnyF]

16 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

Iron Fist.

That is the only thing sexual offenders really deserve.

No points of protecting vermin in the shape of man.

Those predators should be forcedly desexed.

Or marked with GPS tag after jail term and close monitoring of the location including alert to the community(as practiced in USA and South Korea).

It is said to promotes the suicide of those after release; rather welcoming phenomenon to the society. 

 

 

Totally agree.

 

Unfortunately the iron fist is reserved for those being offensive on social media. Rapists and child molesters get a second chance. The British justice system is a joke at the moment. 

[Watawattana]

7 hours ago, Social Media said:

McGhee, now aged 19, was jailed for four years and eight months for rape at the High Court in Glasgow.

This is a joke.  He'll be out under licence in just over 2 years, and will highly likely still be a danger to young women.  When will the UK learn?  He should be locked up until qualified people believe he is no longer a danger to the public.

 

Of course, being the bleeding heart liberal that I am, I reckon chopping his knackers off before he gets released might help?  Saves money on psychologists, therapists and parole boards.  And after that, his halfway house could be with the extended family of that 15 year old?  Just thinking out loud...

[CHdiver]

As a father, you just need a gun to solve this problem (and some balls).