Lagan Towpath attacks: Two men jailed for raping 12-year-old girl

Gerard McKenna was convicted after a week-long trial at Craigavon Crown court in 2021

Two men have been jailed for abducting and raping a vulnerable 12-year-old girl after meeting her on the Lagan Towpath in Lisburn.

Gerard McKenna, 30, had previously been found guilty of rape and other offences in connection with the attack.

It happened two days before Christmas 2019.

Paul Sheridan, 25, initially failed to turn up for his trial but subsequently pleaded guilty to charges of rape and other offences.

McKenna was given a nine-year sentence , while Sheridan was jailed for six-and-a-half years, after the judge said he admitted his guilt and "did not subject the victim to any further humiliation".

McKenna, originally from the Whiterock area of west Belfast, but who has been in Maghaberry prison since the incident, was unanimously convicted of raping and sexually assaulting the 12-year-old victim.

He was also convicted of sexual activity with a second victim who was 15 at the time, offering to supply class-A cocaine and two counts of child abduction on the same date.

Sheridan, with an address at Hillfoot Crescent in Ballynahinch, entered guilty pleas to to two counts of raping a child under 13, two counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13 and two counts of child abduction.

The attacks happened after the two men met the girls, two days before Christmas 2019, on the Lagan towpath in Lisburn where the girls were given vodka.

The jury heard during McKenna's trial in 2021, that despite being told that the youngest girl was only 12 years old, he kissed her and had sex with her.

Sheridan also kissed the girl and had sex with her.

He was not tried alongside McKenna as, due to perceived threats against him, he went on the run and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

In a victim-impact statement, one of the victims said McKenna "broke me" as a 12-year-old girl.

She said he "stole my innocence and virginity" and "forced me to view the world as a dangerous place".

'Low life scum'

The court was told that McKenna had 45 previous convictions, not related to sex offences.

Sheridan had 21 convictions, not related to sex offences.

During his trial, McKenna launched several expletive-laden insults at Crown counsel and at the jury members who convicted him.

As Judge Patrick Lynch was thanking the jury for their services at the time, McKenna shouted they were "low-life scum".

The judge responded by telling him: "There's only one low-life scum here and everybody knows who that is."