FIVE YEARS FOR BOY WHO RAPED DISABLED WOMAN
A SCHOOLBOY who raped and humiliated a severely disabled 56-year-old woman after forcing his way into her home was ordered to be detained for five years yesterday.Paul McMaster, who was 15 at the time of the offence and a pupil at Ross High School in Tranent, East Lothian, admitted raping the woman in her home on May 1 last year.
He also admitted urinating on his victim.
Lord Milligan called for a psychiatric report on McMaster, now 16, after describing the offence as incomprehensible.
Yesterday, at the High Court in Edinburgh, the Judge told McMaster, of Robertson Drive, Tranent: 'I find it difficult to find words to describe adequately the wickedness of what you did.
The effect on this poor lady is unimaginable.' It was an appalling crime and the only real point in mitigation was the age of the accused.
Had such an offence been committed by an adult, the sentence would have been substantially longer.
However, McMaster was only 15 at the time of the offence and the Judge said he felt able to restrict the sentence to five years.
Mr Alan Muir, defence counsel, said drink had played a part in the offence.
His client accepted his guilt but so far had been unable to come to terms with what he had done.
He had been described as a complex character with behavioural difficulties, although with some positive features.
Mr Muir added: 'What happened was entirely out of character and wholly incomprehensible.
He conveys remorse for his actions and the effects on his family and the life of the victim.' At an earlier hearing, Mr Colin Boyd, Advocate-depute, told the Judge that the victim lived alone, was severely disabled, and needed a zimmer frame to walk.
She had gone to her door between 10 and 11 pm on the night of the attack to let her dogs back into the house.
Mr Boyd continued: 'Before she could lock the door, McMaster pushed his way past her, grabbed her by the arm, and pushed her along the lobby into the living room.
He pushed her down onto the floor and removed her clothing.
He closed the curtains of the living room and then undressed, lay on top of her, and raped her.
He held his hand over her mouth to prevent her from shouting and screaming.
When he had finished he stood up and urinated on her.' It appeared that the victim had tried to resist McMaster by hitting him with her stick.
After raping the woman, McMaster dressed and went outside to join a group of teenagers.
The vicitm managed to dress herself and with the help of her zimmer struggled to her front doorstep and called to the boys and girls outside that McMaster had raped her.
The police had already been informed about the incident by a teenage girl babysitting in a house opposite who heard shouts and screams, and saw McMaster fully naked through the curtains.
When detained and interviewed, McMaster claimed he did not remember anything.
