Child abuse gang face three-month wait for sentence
- Published
Top row, left to right: Paul Brannan, John Clark, Scott Forbes, Barry Watson. Bottom row, from left: Iain Owens, Lesley Williams, Elaine Lannery, Marianne Gallagher
Seven people convicted of sexually abusing children in Glasgow face at least a three-month wait to find out if they will be given life sentences.
The five men and two women were convicted in November in what is believed to be the largest prosecution of a child abuse ring in Scotland.
Judge Lord Beckett previously warned of "very substantial" jail terms for "extraordinary depravity".
He has now ordered risk assessments to be carried out before sentencing them.
The case has been adjourned until 5 April.
It is likely a further sentencing date will be set then, due to the time it can take for such reports to be completed.
It could see all or some of the seven given lifelong restriction orders, external which also involved a jail-term known as a "punishment part" that they must serve before being considered for parole.
Lord Beckett told the seven: "I consider that the risk criteria may be met. It follows that I make risk assessment orders in each of your cases.
"You will continue to be remanded in custody meantime."
Iain Owens, 45, Elaine Lannery, 39, Lesley Williams, 42, Paul Brannan, 40, Scott Forbes, 50, Barry Watson and John Clark, both 47, had denied all of the allegations against them but were found guilty after a nine-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Warning: This article contains details readers may find upsetting
All seven were convicted of sexual abuse - including rape - with Owens, Lannery, Brannan and Williams also being found guilty of attempting to murder a child by pushing her into a microwave and trapping her in other places.
Another woman, Marianne Gallagher, was found guilty of assaulting a young girl and had her sentence deferred for a year for good behaviour and she was released on bail.
A further three people - Mark Carr, 50, Richard Gachagan, 45, and Leona Laing, 51, were acquitted by the jury.
Their trial at the High Court in Glasgow heard that two girls and a boy, who were all aged under 13 at the time, were violently and sexually assaulted on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019.
Members of the group used Class A drugs in front of the children and caused them to consume alcohol and drugs.
A girl was raped by members of the gang while she was still young enough to wear a nappy.
She described the flat as the "dark and scary beastie house" because she had been locked in a cupboard with a box that was full of spiders.
An older boy and girl were also subjected to savage beatings and sexual violence.