Hugh McGrogan, a 56-year-old unemployed man formerly residing in Inverness, was sentenced to 13 years in prison on 4 December 2014 at the High Court in Edinburgh for a series of heinous sexual offences and violent abuses committed over more than a decade. His crimes, spanning from 1982 to 1995, involved systematic rape, sexual assault, and physical violence primarily against women and children in the Edinburgh areas of Craigmiller and Liberton. McGrogan, known locally as Shug and described by victims as a bully, preyed on vulnerable people, often arriving drunk to perpetrate his attacks.
One of the most harrowing accounts came from a child victim who was just seven years old when the abuse began. She testified that McGrogan would enter her home intoxicated and subject her to rape and forced sexual acts at various houses in the city. The court heard how this ordeal devastated her life, with Judge Lady Scott emphasising that McGrogan's actions constituted 'systematic violence and sexual abuse' and that he displayed no remorse whatsoever. In total, McGrogan was found guilty of 10 charges following a trial earlier that year.
Adult victims also provided chilling testimonies. One woman, now 50, recounted how McGrogan initially stayed at her home amicably, but the situation escalated into violence and assault. She described him becoming aggressive when drunk, hitting her, attempting to strangle her, and leaving her with black eyes on multiple occasions. On one incident, after a night of drinking, he threw her onto a bed and forced himself upon her despite her struggles and pleas to stop. After the rape, he laughed in her face, an act that underscored his callous nature. Bruised and terrified, she avoided seeking medical help out of fear. Another woman suffered punches, kicks, and slaps from McGrogan, resulting in a burst mouth, and was coerced into unwanted sex, including an occasion where he grabbed her by the throat and pinned her to the bed.
Advocate depute Alan Mackay accused McGrogan of deliberately targeting vulnerable individuals for his abuse and assaults. The offences extended to attempting to rape a third woman at a primary school, as well as sexually abusing a boy. Defence counsel Matt Jackson acknowledged the 'very unpleasant offences' but noted their historical nature, referring to them as being of 'some vintage'. McGrogan, a father of three with a background in the catering industry, had been in custody since May 2014 after an initial appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, where his bail application was denied. Following the sentencing, he was placed on the sex offenders' register.
- Key charges: Rape of a child from age seven, sexual abuse of a boy, rape and assault of two women, attempted rape of a third.
- Locations: Houses in Craigmiller and Liberton, Edinburgh; incident at a primary school.
- Victim quotes: 'He just laughed in my face' (after rape); 'He was violent with drink in him'; 'He didn't need a drink before he hit me'.
- Judicial remark: 'His abuse of child victims had devastated their lives' – Lady Scott.
This case, reported by local news outlet Rayo MFR on 4 December 2014, highlights a dark chapter of serial predation in Scotland's capital, with McGrogan's conviction bringing some measure of justice to his survivors after years of silence and trauma.