GOODWIN KAY FROM INVERNESS AND COWIE SENTENCED FOR DECADES OF SEXUAL ABUSE IN STIRLING AND COWIE

In a harrowing case that spans over two decades, Goodwin Kay, aged 43 and hailing from Inverness, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against young girls. The crimes began when Kay was just a boy of 12 years old, marking the start of a disturbing pattern of abuse that would continue well into his adulthood.

It was revealed during the proceedings at the High Court in Edinburgh that Kay's initial acts of abuse took place in the 1970s, beginning with a four-year-old girl at a residence in Dunipace, located in Stirlingshire. This early incident was only the beginning of a long history of predatory behavior. Subsequently, Kay targeted a seven-year-old girl at a home in Cowie, a village near Stirling, further illustrating his pattern of preying on vulnerable children in different locations.

The court was informed that Kay's abusive conduct extended over more than 20 years, with his victims suffering deeply from his actions. Lord Clark, presiding over the case, described Kay's treatment of his victims as dehumanizing, stating that he had viewed them merely as objects to satisfy his own sexual urges. The judge expressed strong condemnation, emphasizing that Kay had shown no remorse for his conduct. He remarked that the victims had to relive their traumatic experiences during the court proceedings, and that the impact of Kay's actions had left permanent scars on their lives.

In addressing the charges, Lord Clark acknowledged that Kay's status as a juvenile at the time of his first offense could be considered as a mitigating factor. However, he made it clear that such an excuse could not be applied to the later offenses committed when Kay was an adult. Despite Kay's denial of the sex offenses against his second and third victims, a jury convicted him after an earlier trial. The court heard disturbing details of the abuse, including that Kay had forced the children to wear their mothers' underwear during the assaults.

His criminal history includes raping the first victim when she was aged 10, after initially abusing her at age four. He also molested another girl from the age of seven, with incidents occurring both at a house in Cowie and in a car park in the Carron Valley, before ultimately raping her. The abuse of a third girl began in the 1990s, with Kay raping her after she had turned 12. In total, Kay was convicted of three counts of rape and four charges of indecency.

Lord Clark concluded the sentencing by stating that Kay's case would be referred to Scottish ministers to ensure he would be barred from working with children in the future, highlighting the severity of his crimes and the potential risk he poses to society. The case underscores the devastating impact of long-term sexual abuse and the importance of justice for the victims involved.