On 22 April 2023, in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Regan McClinton, then aged 18, committed two shocking sexual assaults on young schoolgirls within a span of less than 30 minutes. The incidents, captured in part by CCTV footage, highlighted the predatory nature of the attacks in a populated residential area during broad daylight.
The first assault occurred along Broompark Road, where McClinton was seen following a 15-year-old girl. He grabbed her by the hair and body, dragging her into an alleyway. There, he snatched her mobile phone and subjected her to a physical and sexual assault. Members of the public intervened, forcing McClinton to flee the scene.
Minutes later, on nearby Burnbrae Road, McClinton targeted an 11-year-old girl who was walking with a friend. He pulled the child into another alleyway, where he physically assaulted her and attempted to rape her, inflicting severe injuries. A neighbour, alerted by the girl's screams as she fought back, 'literally kicked' McClinton off her. The victim's friend had run for help, and when confronted, McClinton brazenly denied any involvement before fleeing again.
McClinton, of Blantyre, denied the charges but was found guilty on 10 September 2023 of assault with intent to rape and attempted rape following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. The prosecution relied on CCTV footage, DNA evidence, and eyewitness accounts to secure the conviction.
Sentencing took place at the High Court in Kilmarnock, where Judge Lord Andrew Cubie described the attacks as 'shocking offences' that were 'disorientating and then terrifying for the victims'. He noted the huge upset to the families and the concern for the wider community, emphasising that only public intervention prevented further escalation. Taking into account Scotland's sentencing guidelines for under-25s and a victim impact statement from the second girl's mother, which stated that McClinton had taken her daughter's independence, security, and to a real extent, her childhood, the judge imposed an extended sentence.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) confirmed that McClinton was jailed for six years and nine months, with an additional two years on licence, totalling eight years and nine months. He was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and banned from contacting the victims. Fiona Kirkby, procurator fiscal for high court sexual offences, remarked: 'Regan McClinton subjected both girls to horrific ordeals within minutes of each other and only a short distance apart. These children should have been safe going about their business, but were instead targeted by this dangerous and opportunistic offender. He has now been held accountable following this prosecution, which was made possible using evidence from both children and the members of the public who thankfully interrupted both attacks.'