Man jailed for trying to get student to take to her own life
- Published
Craig McInally pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow
A man who offered to help a vulnerable student take her own life after meeting her on a pro-suicide website has been given a lifelong restriction order.
Craig McInally, 31, invited the 25 year-old woman to his flat after she admitted she was "really struggling".
The High Court in Glasgow heard how McInally encouraged the woman to "practice".
This included him repeatedly choking her to the point she lost consciousness.
The university student eventually told McInally she wanted to leave his Glasgow flat before police were later alerted.
McInally was arrested at his home where it was found he had offered similar "advice and assistance" to other suicidal young women.
He also claimed to be excited "at the thought of his death and of others".
The 31-year-old had pled guilty in November 2021 to a charge of culpable and reckless conduct to the danger of the woman's life.
But the case had been repeatedly adjourned since for a full risk assessment to be carried out on McInally.
'Dangerous individual'
Lord Mulholland imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction with McInally to serve a minimum of two years and three months in jail, backdated to December 2019.
A lifelong restriction order is reserved for the most serious cases of sexual and violent offending short of murder.
When imposed, an offender must serve the minimum term set and offenders must be kept under supervision for the rest of their life.
Sentencing, Lord Mulholland said: "You encouraged her to come to your home to practice suicide.
"You derived sexual gratification from this. This is very serious crime."
"Instead of helping a vulnerable person you sought to school her into taking her own life."
Det Ch Insp John Stewart, Police Scotland's senior investigating officer in the case, said: "Craig McInally is a calculated and dangerous individual who targeted women at their lowest point and encouraged them to end their lives for his own gratification, even going so far as to try and assist.
"Police Scotland worked closely with a range of other partners in the UK and internationally for more than two years to support the victims of these despicable crimes and bring McInally to justice.
"If you, or someone you know, has been affected by mental health issues, BBC Action Line has put together a list of organisations which can help.