GRANDAD CONVICTED OF ABUSING YOUNG GIRLS FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES
James Neill, aged 82 and known as the “Beast of Boghall,” was convicted of serious sexual offenses involving five young girls spanning from 1977 to 2023.The court heard that he assaulted girls over nearly three decades, denying six charges related to these offenses.
A Livingston Sheriff Court jury swiftly reached a verdict of guilty on all charges within just four hours.
The offenses took place at Neill’s residence on Elizabeth Drive, Boghall, where he exploited his care of the girls between May 12, 1977, and May 24, 2023.
He was found guilty of engaging in lewd, indecent, and lascivious conduct with three victims and sexually assaulting one of them.
All victims were between the ages of five and twelve at the time of the assaults.
The most recent offense, committed in May 2023, involved allegations of sexual activity with one of the girls when she was between 13 and 15 years old.
During proceedings, the first victim described how Neill exposed himself to her and repeatedly kissed her on the mouth, pressed his erect penis against her, and lay on top of her.
He also lifted her off the ground, touched her under her underwear, and sexually assaulted her when she was aged five to twelve.
Neill was 53 when the abuse began.
The second victim testified that he sexually abused her between ages seven and ten, often lifting her, wrapping his arms around her, and attempting to assault her over her clothing, which caused injury.
The third girl also recounted that he pressed his body against her while she was five to eleven and had touched her vagina over her clothes, although an allegation of him trying to make her touch his genitals was dismissed.
A fourth girl described how Neill repeatedly placed his arms around her, kissed her, and tried to touch her breasts when she was six to ten years old.
The fifth claimed he sexually assaulted her multiple times, lifting her and touching her inappropriately between ages seven and twelve, and also engaged in sexual activity involving kissing and touching when she was between 13 and 15.
The prosecution highlighted that Neill had no previous convictions.
After the jury’s guilty verdicts, Crown Advocate Mandy Jones requested a sentence and noted the absence of a criminal record.
Sheriff Jane Farquharson KC requested a social work report on the defendant’s background and delayed sentencing until April 30, allowing Neill to remain free on bail until then.
