A CONVICTED rapist is back behind bars after a sex attack on a eight year-old girl.
James Morrow abused the child at a house in Greenock, Inverclyde in January this year.
The youngster later told her hysterical mother what happened before police were alerted.
A judge yesterday heard Morrow, of nearby Gourock, was already on the sex offenders’ register for life at the time.
He was jailed for 14 years in the mid-90s in England for raping a stranger.
Morrow now faces another lengthy spell behind bars after he pled guilty to sexually assaulting the girl.
A female relative of the child was at the High Court in Glasgow for the hearing.
Morrow appeared to apologise as he was led to the cells – but the woman shouted back: “Sorry does not cut it.”
He was remanded in custody pending sentencing in Livingston on May 9.
Prosecutor Angela Gray said Morrow had been freed from prison in 2004.
He latterly lived in Gourock and was known to the girl and her family.
The court heard the child had been asked to tidy her bedroom and had initially refused.
Morrow was there and he then offered to help. It was then he took the opportunity to prey on the youngster.
The terrified child had asked: “What are you doing?” - but the pervert stated: “Nothing.”
It was only after he later left the house that the girl first told her brother then her “very upset” mother of what occurred.
Police held Morrow who said to officers: “Tell me what its all about?”
However, he went on to make no comment when later quizzed.
Miss Gray said the girl had been “bubbly and talkative” before the attack.
But, she now refuses to go back into the room where it occurred and has become “quiet and subdued”.
Her mother had written a victim impact statement on her behalf. No other details were revealed.
Lord Burns adjourned the case for reports.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article