Man who repeatedly raped 14-year-old girl on New Year's Day detained for five years

A man who repeatedly raped a young girl during an attack on New Year’s Day has been detained for five and a half years.

Craig Murray assaulted the teenage victim at a house in Livingston, in West Lothian, on January 1 in 2023.

A judge told the 21-year-old at the High Court in Edinburgh: “The seriousness of the offence is self-evident, involving the repeated rape of a 14-year-old girl.”

Murray, formerly of Ladywell, in Livingston, was aged 18 when he carried out the attack during which he repeatedly pulled down the girl’s lower clothing and seized her by the body.

Murray had denied committing the offence at an earlier trial but was found guilty of the sex crime.

Lord Weir said that in sentencing Murray for the crime, he took into account the impact of the offending on the girl and told him: “The victim impact statement I have just read is eloquent of the traumatic effects of what you did.

“I take fully into account your own age and lack of maturity at the material time, and to an extent now.”

Defence solicitor advocate Ewen Roy told the court that he recognised the age and vulnerability of the girl at the time of the crime as aggravating features for the court to consider.

He said that Murray had completed a college course and was in employment in the period leading up to his trial.

Mr Roy said: “During his sentence, he intends to apply for courses in relation to addiction and in relation to sexual offending.”

He said a background report prepared on Murray outlined a difficult childhood for the offender and asked the court to take into account Murray’s lack of similar offending.

Murray was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, and the judge made a non-harassment order banning him from contacting or attempting to contact the victim.