IAIN MCKERRELL'S HEINOUS CRIMES IN JOHNSTONE AND PAISLEY: CHILD RAPIST SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS

In June 2014, Iain McKerrell, a man from Johnstone, was convicted of heinous sexual offenses involving two young girls and subsequently sentenced to nine years in prison. The court heard that McKerrell, aged 47 at the time, had a disturbing history of abusing vulnerable children, including a previous conviction for raping an 11-month-old baby girl over a four-year period from 2000 to 2004.

During the recent proceedings at the High Court in Glasgow, it was revealed that McKerrell had admitted to raping a girl when she was between nine and eleven years old. The abuse took place repeatedly while he was babysitting at his residence in Paisley between 2000 and 2003. The court was informed that the victim was left crying and trembling during these assaults, with McKerrell telling her, "The quicker you stay still the quicker it will be over." Prosecutor David Taylor described how the girl was shouting, "Please let me go," as McKerrell covered her mouth to silence her. After the abuse, he would put her to bed and dismiss her tears by saying, "Everyone has nightmares."

Remarkably, the girl did not report these crimes until the previous year, despite the abuse having occurred years earlier. The court also learned that McKerrell had sexually abused an eight-year-old girl with learning difficulties in February 2002. When police confronted him about these allegations, he denied any knowledge, stating, "I don’t know anything about this."

McKerrell’s criminal history is extensive. In 2006, he was sentenced to 13 years after being convicted of raping the 11-month-old girl and abusing an eight-year-old girl over a four-year span. His initial sentence was later reduced to nine and a half years on appeal. At the time of the recent allegations, McKerrell was out on licence, having served part of his previous sentence.

During the sentencing, Lady Rae emphasized the gravity of McKerrell’s crimes, stating, "The sexual abuse of defenceless young children is to any decent thinking person one of the most heinous crimes. Your actions to both these young victims were, on any view, despicable." The court described his offenses as "despicable" and "heinous," reflecting the profound breach of trust and the devastating impact on the victims.

In August 2006, McKerrell was jailed for 13 years after admitting to raping a baby girl and sexually abusing another girl aged 12. The judge, Lord Hardie, condemned his actions, noting that the girl was likely as young as 11 months when first raped and that she was still a baby during the abuse. He ordered that McKerrell be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and serve an extended sentence, including a further ten years on licence outside prison. The victim’s mother expressed her fury, stating, "He should be in jail for every one of these 23 years. The man is a monster. If I could murder him myself, I would. I hate him for what he’s done and I hope he dies in jail."

Overall, McKerrell’s criminal record and recent convictions highlight a pattern of disturbing and predatory behavior towards vulnerable children in the Johnstone and Paisley areas. His case remains a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and the need for justice for victims of such heinous crimes.