WILLIAM DUNCAN AND LISA STUART SENTENCED IN SCOTLAND FOR SHOCKING CRIMES AGAINST A CHILD
A reprehensible couple who recorded themselves sexually abusing a nine-year-old girl were sentenced to a total of 11.5 years in prison yesterday.William Duncan, aged 23, and Lisa Stuart, also 23 and known as Lisa Duncan, groomed their young victim for sexual activity and used a camcorder to document the abuse.
They also compelled her to record them engaging in sex multiple times.
Duncan, a father of two, received an eight-and-a-half-year sentence after admitting to two counts of rape and subjecting the girl to disturbing sexual acts in Elgin and Keith, Moray, between July 2003 and March 2005.
Lisa Stuart, who recorded the assaults, was sentenced to three years in prison for her role in the rape.
Judge Lord Hodge stated, "In a minor way you assisted your partner to have sex with a nine-year-old girl.
Your actions appear to have been influenced by sexual and physical abuse of you by Mr Duncan." Duncan initially claimed he was not guilty but changed his plea after the distressing footage was played to jurors.
During the trial, the tape showed Duncan asking Stuart, "Want to join in?" and also depicted him bathing naked with the girl.
A jury composed of 11 women and four men was excused from duty for 10 years due to the severity of the evidence they had to endure.
Both Duncan of Rothiemay, Banffshire, and Stuart of Elgin, Moray, were assessed to pose a risk of reoffending by the High Court in Glasgow.
They have both been placed on the Sex Offenders Register and are prohibited from working with children.
Additionally, Duncan is to be supervised in the community for five years after his release.
Lawyers for the defendants stated that both had learning difficulties and expressed remorse for their actions.
Detective Inspector Ewan Strachan of Grampian Police commented outside court, "I must stress that the successful conclusion of this case could not have been achieved without the bravery of the young victim who came forward and told her story."
