Latest Offenders Moray

Description

A DEPRAVED couple who filmed themselves raping a nine-year-old girl were jailed for a total of 11-and-a-half years yesterday.

William Duncan and Lisa Stuart, also known as Lisa Duncan both 23, groomed their victim for sex and used a camcorder to record her horrific ordeal. They also forced her to tape them as they repeatedly had sex.

Father-of-two Duncan was jailed for eight and half years for abusing the girl over a two-year period. He admitted two rape charges and subjecting her to sickening sex acts in Elgin and Keith, Moray, between July 2003 and March 2005.

Mum-of-two Lisa Stuart, who filmed the attacks, was jailed for three years for rape.

Judge Lord Hodge told her: 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.

Her partner had originally claimed he was not guilty but he changed his plea after the harrowing footage was played to jurors.

At one point the tape shows Duncan asking Stuart: Want to join in? He is also seen bathing naked with the girl.

The jury of 11 women and four men were excused duty for 10 years because of the evidence had to endure.

Duncan, of Rothiemay, Banffshire, and Stuart, of Elgin, Moray, are at risk of reoffending, the High Court in Glasgow heard. Both were put on the Sex Offenders Register and banned from working with children. Duncan was ordered to be supervised in the community for five years after his release.

Lawyers for the couple said both had learning difficulties and regretted what they had done.

Det Insp Ewan Strachan, of Grampian Police, said outside court: I must stress the successful conclusion of this case could not have been achieved without this young victim taking her courage in both hands and coming forward to tell her story.