JOHN DUNLOP'S HORRIFIC CRIME IN WHITBURN: SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED FOR RAPE AND DRUGGING TEEN GIRLS

In February 2009, John Dunlop was found dead in his prison cell, marking a tragic end to a case that had shocked the community of Whitburn in West Lothian. The events leading up to his incarceration, however, reveal a disturbing pattern of criminal behavior that culminated in a conviction for heinous crimes against two young girls.

Back in February 2004, Dunlop, a 55-year-old man with a prior conviction for indecency involving a girl, was at the center of a serious criminal investigation. The case involved two 14-year-old girls who had been in care and had visited Dunlop’s residence in Whitburn during the early hours of the morning. The girls, seeking to stay out all night “for a laugh,” had left their foster homes—one had broken her curfew at a children’s home, and the other had left her foster parents’ house without informing them.

According to court proceedings, Dunlop’s home became the scene of a series of disturbing events. He took photographs of the girls as they tried on each other’s clothes and played with their hair, seemingly engaging in inappropriate behavior. More alarmingly, he administered prescription drugs—sedatives and anti-depressants that he had obtained for his own medical conditions—to the girls. It was alleged that the girls took these tablets willingly, unaware of the full extent of their effects. One of the girls was so severely affected that she ended up in intensive care, raising serious concerns about the danger posed by Dunlop’s reckless distribution of medication.

Prosecutor Keith Stewart emphasized that Dunlop supplied the drugs knowingly, understanding the potential harm they could cause. The drugs included Valium and amitriptyline, a sedative anti-depressant, which he recklessly provided to the girls. The court heard that on February 19, 2003, Dunlop induced the girls to take these drugs before raping them, an act that was both shocking and deeply troubling.

Following a thorough trial, a jury found Dunlop guilty of multiple charges, including raping both girls after drugging them. The court also convicted him of recklessly supplying the prescription medications, knowing that their effects could endanger the girls’ lives. Dunlop chose not to testify in his defense and pleaded not guilty to the charges, but the evidence against him was overwhelming.

Lord Wheatley, presiding over the case, delivered a stern judgment. He acknowledged that the girls contributed to the circumstances, but emphasized that Dunlop’s actions—drugging and then raping them—were egregiously serious. The judge sentenced Dunlop to an eight-year prison term for the rape convictions. Additionally, he imposed a four-year extended sentence, which Dunlop will serve in the community after his release, reflecting the gravity of his offenses.

Furthermore, Dunlop’s name has been added to the Sex Offenders’ Register, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities. His death in prison in February 2009 marked a somber conclusion to a case that highlighted the dangers posed by individuals like him within the community of Whitburn. The case remains a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding vulnerable young people from predatory offenders.