CALVIN DONNELLY SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON FOR RAPE IN MAUCHLINE WOODS

A 16-year-old boy named Calvin Donnelly from Mauchline has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl in the woods near Mauchline, Ayrshire. The incident, which took place in July 2022, was the culmination of a trial held at the High Court in Kilmarnock in January, with the sentencing occurring last week at the High Court in Glasgow.

According to court proceedings, the victim, who was only 14 at the time, had been socializing with friends in the woods to celebrate a birthday. The group was in high spirits, with music playing and drinks being consumed. During this gathering, Donnelly and some other boys, all of whom attended the same school but from different year groups, joined the group. An initial interaction involved a discussion where the girl asked Donnelly if he would be willing to 'winch' one of her friends, which led to Donnelly kissing her. The girl later stated she was not particularly interested in the kiss but did not object at the time.

Following this, Donnelly led the girl further into the woods, away from her friends. The girl described herself as being 'OK' with what was happening initially and did not try to escape. However, once they were alone, Donnelly engaged in acts that went far beyond her consent. He forcibly penetrated her vagina with his penis without asking for her permission, and she repeatedly told him to stop. During the assault, Donnelly also attempted to penetrate her anus, which she described as causing her to scream. Donnelly later suggested that this anal penetration might have been accidental, but the court found that at least the vaginal assault was non-consensual and deliberate.

It was only when the girl said she would miss her bus that she managed to escape. She pulled up her leggings, grabbed her mobile phone, and ran to the bus stop. CCTV footage confirmed that she rejoined her friends at Louden Street, visibly distressed. Medical examinations revealed bruises and abrasions on her arms, legs, and back, along with petechial hemorrhaging in her cervix, which forensic experts indicated is more typical of non-consensual sexual activity. Swelling around her anus, consistent with penetration, was also observed.

In court, Lord Harrower emphasized that Donnelly, who was about to turn 19, had a history of two previous convictions unrelated to sexual offenses, including a recent road traffic offence for which he was under a community payback order. Donnelly admitted to having sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 but continued to deny that he had raped the girl in this case. The judge noted that Donnelly had experienced adverse childhood circumstances and struggled with alcohol issues. The social worker involved assessed him as presenting a high risk of re-offending, including a moderate to high risk of sexual re-offending, depending on the assessment tool used.

Considering the guidelines for sentencing young offenders, which take into account their emotional and intellectual maturity at the time of the offense and prioritize rehabilitation, Lord Harrower stated that only a substantial custodial sentence was appropriate given the severity of the crime and its impact on the victim. The court sentenced Donnelly to four years in prison, with the sentence backdated to January 20, 2025, the date he was remanded in custody. Additionally, Donnelly will be subject to indefinite sex offender notification requirements and a 10-year non-harassment order prohibiting any contact or communication with the victim for a decade.