Child rapist John McKechnie who bought victim alcohol and was caught with child sex abuse images jailed

A high risk child rapist who subjected a vulnerable under age girl to a sex attack during a campaign of criminality has been jailed for eight years.

John McKechnie, 32, began the sexual assault on the 15-year-old when she was asleep, intoxicated and incapable of consenting at a house in Whitburn, in West Lothian.

He denied committing the rape at an earlier trial but was convicted of the crime along with repeated physical assaults on another female who was repeatedly punched and kicked by him during months of violence.

McKechnie, formerly of Whitburn, admitted a series of other charges, including buying drink for underage girls, including the rape victim, possessing child sex abuse images, underage sex and sexual communication with a child who sent him indecent images of herself.

He also admitted abusive conduct towards females, road traffic offences and breaching bail conditions imposed on him in March 2021 at Livingston Sheriff Court by failing to disclose to police he had two mobile phones that could be used to access the internet.

One of the phones was found to have file cleaning software installed on it and on the other device settings were altered in a bid to hide a secure folder app.

A judge told McKechnie at the High Court in Edinburgh that he had either plead guilty to or was found guilty of a range of offences some of which were “very serious”.

Judge John Morris KC said: “Ultimately only a very substantial custodial sentence is appropriate in this case.”

The judge also ordered that McKechnie should be under supervision for a further two years in the community when he can be returned to prison if he breaches licence conditions.

He placed the rapist on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period and made non harassment orders banning McKechnie from contacting or communicating with his victims.

McKechnie was also banned from driving for three years and ordered to resit a test.

His offending began in March 2017 and continued until May 2022 and almost all of it occurred in West Lothian.

In one incident on August 22, 2021 McKechnie was drink driving and driving dangerously between Whitburn and Bathgate.

The former warehouse worker drove at excessive speed, swerved across the road, failed to properly negotiate a junction and drove onto a roundabout and collided with trees and road signs.

Defence counsel Iain Smith said McKechnie continued to deny the child rape offence but has been assessed as posing a high risk.

He said he began drinking at a young age but his drink problem progressively worsened. He said: “He has been alcohol and drug free for two years in prison.”

The defence counsel said he has expressed feeling shame at his offending.

Detective inspector Adrian Ure, National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “John McKechnie is a violent and predatory individual who will now face the consequences of his despicable actions.

“I commend the strength of the victims for coming forward and hope the sentence will bring some comfort as they try to move forward.

“Sexual abuse of any kind has no place in our society and any reports made to Police Scotland will be robustly investigated.

“We encourage anyone with concerns about a child at risk of abuse, or a potential victim, to contact police immediately.”