SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM BLASTS COURT AFTER ATTACKER AVOID JAIL
The woman said she had lost trust in both men and women after the despicable attack – and was still living with the trauma more than two years after the incident.Her attacker, Neil Craddock, was instead handed a community-based disposal when he was sentenced at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.
He was placed on a community payback order and told to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work within a year.
Craddock’s movements will be electronically monitored throughout this time, and he won’t be allowed outside his home address between 7pm and 7am.
The Ardrossan man was put on the sex offenders register for five years and ordered to pay his victim £4,500 in compensation.
The 67-year-old was sentenced after being found guilty by a jury at a trial in February.
He was convicted of sexually assaulting his victim while she slept on April 30, 2022.
The victim hoped that his sentencing would bring her some closure, but she described it as “very unfair” and called the compensation order “a kick in the teeth”.
She remains living with the trauma, having tried to take her own life and suffered two miscarriages since the attack.
She has left her work and struggles with anxiety visiting Ardrossan.
She expressed frustration that Craddock is free in her community and feels he has shown no remorse, criticizing the £4,500 compensation and the five-year register term.
She advocates for tougher punishments for sex offenders and wider support for victims, emphasizing she wants other victims to come forward despite her own distress.
The Scottish Judicial Office stated that all factors are considered before sentencing and that the explanation for each sentence is provided in the hearing.
Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, criticized the justice system as “not fit for purpose” and called for reforms to better support victims of sexual violence, including independent legal assistance and reform of sentencing guidelines.
The Scottish Government responded by highlighting measures to improve victim experiences, including establishing a sexual offences court and ensuring timely case processing.
