ROBERT YOUNG COATBRIDGE PAEDOPHILE SENTENCED TO 21 YEARS FOR ABUSE AND ATTEMPTED MURDER IN NORTH LANARKSHIRE

In a harrowing case that has shocked the community of Coatbridge and the wider North Lanarkshire area, Robert Young, aged 38, has been sentenced to a total of 21 years in prison after being found guilty of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of three young girls and an attempted murder attempt on one of his victims.

Young's criminal activities spanned over a decade, beginning when he was still a teenager. His first known victim was only four years old at the time, and the abuse continued for approximately ten years. During this period, the young girl was subjected to a series of traumatic experiences, including being shown pornographic material, coerced into performing sexual acts with another female child, and being physically molested by Young himself.

Another victim, a girl who was ten years old when her ordeal started, was abused for six years. Evidence presented in court revealed that Young even asked her to take the contraceptive pill, indicating a disturbing level of manipulation and control over her.

The third girl, who was just six years old when her abuse began in 1995, endured a decade of suffering at Young’s hands. Her ordeal only ended in 2005, but the trauma was far from over. In 2009, four years after the abuse had ceased, Young launched a violent attack on her, attempting to kill her in a chilling act of violence.

The court heard how during this attack, Young detained the girl against her will inside his house in Coatbridge. He repeatedly struck her on the head with a mallet, seized her by the head and body, and compressed her throat in an attempt to suffocate her. The severity of this assault was such that it prompted a conviction for attempted murder.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Judge Lord Malcolm delivered a stern sentence, emphasizing the gravity of Young’s actions. A background report on Young had assessed him as posing a high risk of reoffending in the future. The judge condemned Young’s conduct, stating, “No words of mine can adequately describe the gravity of your conduct towards three young people. On a regular basis, you abused them in the most disgraceful of ways, starting when they were very young, and all for your gratification.”

He further condemned Young for the attempted murder, highlighting the brutality of the attack where he hit the third victim on the head with a mallet and rendered her unconscious with a headlock. The judge declared that only a lengthy custodial sentence was appropriate, reflecting the seriousness of the crimes committed.

In addition to the prison sentence, Robert Young was ordered to register as a sex offender, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities. The case has left a lasting scar on the community of Coatbridge, serving as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of such predatory behavior and the importance of justice for victims of abuse.