A TOP Scots cop has blasted the “unimaginable depravity” of a “monstrous” paedophile ring after the rape of children was cheered on by members in a Glasgow drug den.
In what a children’s charity has called one of the worst cases in decades, youngsters suffered relentless rape, violence and drug taking within the hell-hole flat in the city’s Townhead.
Iain Owens, 45, Paul Brannan, 41, Barry Watson, 47, John Clark, 47, Scott Forbes, 50, Elaine Lannery, 39, and Lesley Williams, 41, all face lengthy jail terms after they were found guilty today at the High Court in Glasgow.
The seven-strong sex ring, all heroin addicts, subjected the youngsters to horrific attacks in an insect-infested den.
All were found guilty of raping children and four were nailed for the attempted murder of a tot who they forced into a microwave oven.
The attacks included the horrific rape of one girl who was pinned down by male members of the ring as female members cheered, hollered and encouraged the attack.
There were said to have been “rape nights”, “dance and sex nights” as well as “dog killings nights” held within the property.
One child described the flat as the “dark and scary beastie house”.
Detective Superintendent Nicola Kilbane spoke of her horror as she revealed the case was one of the worst ever encountered by Police Scotland.
She said: “This has been a horrific ordeal for the young victims who were subjected to years of unimaginable abuse.
“Our thoughts are with them today and I hope this outcome can help them in moving forward.
“The levels of depravity shown in this case are extremely rare in Scotland and the courage of the victims was essential in securing this conviction.
“This was a long, complex and challenging investigation for a team of officers and staff who had to work through the most harrowing evidence to bring those responsible for these despicable crimes to justice.
“There were well over 1000 lines of inquiry progressed by the investigation team.
“The evidence was horrific, it was disturbing. All the officers involved have been offered appropriate support.
“I commend each and every one of them for their professionalism and tenacity.”
Matt Forde, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children’s development director, said: “This is really is a truly shocking case.
“To think that children could have the experiences that have been described. It really is highly unusual case. There have been some horrendous cases over the decades.
“But this one is truly shocking and the public will find it difficult to think that children can have experiences like this, that they can be exposed to such wilful and awful treatment such horrendous abuse.”
Mr Forde added: “You can only imagine the terror and miserable existence that these children had.”
The fiends all denied any involvement and accused their victims of lying in a desperate bid to dodge justice.
But earlier today Owens, Lannery, Williams and Brannan were found guilty of the microwave kill bid on a baby.
The same four were also convicted of supplying heroin and cocaine.
All seven were found guilty of raping a little girl at the property where Lannery and Williams “clapped and cheered” the men involved in the horrific act.
They held her down and involved another child in the sickening abuse which took place on various occasions between December 1, 2018 and June 19, 2019.
The verdict was delivered after a harrowing and complex trial involving 55 witnesses, 28 days of evidence and eleven closing speeches from defence lawyers.
The jury had to listen to hours of evidence about the gravest allegations of sexual abuse against the children which was filmed – with money also exchanging hands.
The ordeals only emerged after the brave young victims revealed how they had suffered to a couple they got to know.
Jurors returned verdicts on 21 charges which occurred in the city between January 2010 and October 2020.
Owens was convicted of 18 including the rape of the three children and the attempted murder of one.
The jobless addict was also guilty of other sex offences and class A drug supply.
Lannery was convicted of the rape of the children among the 12 charges she was done for and Williams was convicted of five charges including the rape of two girls.
Brannan was guilty of seven charges which also featured the rape of all three sex abuse victims.
Forbes raped one girl with Watson and Clark guilty of raping two of them.
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