KRISS STRACHAN AND HIS SHOCKING STALKING AND SEX OFFENSES IN LANARKSHIRE

Kriss Strachan, aged 25, has been sentenced to an additional two years in prison after being found guilty of engaging in aggressive and abusive conduct towards a woman he had known only briefly in the past. Alongside this sentence, the court imposed a 20-year legal ban that prohibits him from contacting or approaching the victim in any way. Strachan's actions reflect a disturbing pattern of obsession, manipulation, and violence, which he carried out while serving a lengthy prison sentence for a brutal sexual assault.

The troubling case traces back to when Strachan and the victim first met in 2013 at a concert. At that time, both were just 16 years old. After their initial encounter, the two maintained sporadic contact for several months, including a single meeting at her residence. During that meeting, the victim clearly expressed her disinterest in pursuing any further relationship, making her sentiments known to Strachan. Despite this boundary, Strachan's obsessive behaviors escalated in the years that followed.

A particularly heinous incident occurred in 2014, when Strachan, then 17 years old, forcibly entered the victim’s home in Bellshill, Lanarkshire. The court heard that he assaulted her in a pattern of cruelty and degradation. His violent attack involved pushing her to the ground, threatening her life, repeatedly punching her around the head, and compressing her neck. He then removed her clothing, sexually assaulted her, and infected her with a sexually transmitted disease. This attack left an indelible mark on the victim's physical and mental health.

Despite being incarcerated at Polmont Young Offenders' Institution in Stirlingshire, Strachan’s obsession persisted. In 2017, while he was serving a 12-year sentence for the earlier assault, the victim, who had not heard from him for three years, unexpectedly received a letter from him expressing his “love.” She responded promptly, making it clear she was not interested in initiating any communication or relationship. The following year, in 2018, the victim discovered a brief voice message from Strachan on her phone. In this message, he questioned her about her engagement to a much older man, making disparaging remarks about her relationship and indicating he was aware of her personal life details.

Further contact from Strachan continued into 2019 and 2020, including three letters in which he disclosed that he would soon be released on a tracking tag and intended to visit her once freed. Alarmingly, he demonstrated an alarming level of knowledge about her fiancé, including details of his vehicle and residence. These persistent messages and letters caused severe distress, to the point that the victim contemplated taking an overdose. She confided in her mother and new partner about her mental health struggles.

Concerned for her safety, her mother contacted Glenochil Prison in Clackmannanshire, where Strachan was transferred once he became an adult. The prison authorities assured her that they would block his phone. Despite this intervention, Strachan’s targeted messages and calls persisted. The police intervened, leading to his arrest and subsequent charging with stalking.

Strachan appeared via video link from Barlinnie Prison to face the charges. He admitted to stalking the woman, now also 25, over a period extending from November 2018 to February 2021, while in custody at Polmont and Glenochil. His defense representative, Stephen Biggam, stated that Strachan was remorseful. Biggam remarked, “Knowing he was within touching distance of being released, he has managed to extend his incarceration by his own stupidity.”

During sentencing, Sheriff Craig Harries underscored the severity of Strachan’s actions. The sheriff emphasized that Strachan had been fully aware that the victim did not want any contact. Despite her clear refusals conveyed through letters and telephone calls, Strachan continued to reach out over a span of 27 months. The sheriff pointed out that some of his later correspondence even acknowledged her ignoring his efforts. The messages contained threatening and abusive language, with Strachan aggressively challenging her about her engagement and revealing personal information he could only have obtained while in prison, reflecting an obsessive fixation.

Sheriff Harries highlighted the profound harm caused to the victim, including mental health deterioration and physical distress. She was compelled to seek medical help and was physically ill due to worry. Strachan's attempt to exert control over her life was particularly alarming given his previous conviction for a brutal sexual assault. The sheriff noted the offense was significantly aggravated by the fact that he was communicating from prison, a place where the victim should have felt safe.

Furthermore, a background report indicated that Strachan posed a “significant risk,” especially to females. The court also considered the possibility that Scottish Ministers could order an extension of his prison term by an additional seven years, as previously imposed in 2015 by Judge Lord Boyd, following his earlier sentencing for the rape of a 91-year-old woman.

Reflecting on the impact of his past crimes, the sheriff described the initial sexual assault as having a “truly appalling” effect on the elderly victim involved. At the time of that offense, Strachan told police, “I cannot believe I done it. I am scum,” acknowledging the depth of his disgrace.