Teenager jailed for baby rape bid

A teenage sex attacker who attempted to rape a baby after being freed early from a sentence for trying to rape a pensioner was today jailed for life.

James Campbell, 19, snatched the two-year-old from her home in in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, the middle of the night while he was armed with a knife.

Members of the baby's family wept at the High Court in Glasgow, as temporary judge Alistair Stewart QC told Campbell he must serve a minimum of 10 years before he can apply for parole.

Campbell struck two months after his release on licence half-way through a sentence for breaking into a 91-year-old woman's house with intent to rape.

The court heard that the toddler's mother had gone for a night out, while her father stayed at home to look after the children.

The baby's father put her to bed at about 9pm and checked on her several times before he went to sleep.

The alarm was raised when her grandmother, who was with friends next door, returned to the house after 3am to find the baby missing.

The girl's frantic father was joined by a group of concerned neighbours, including family friend Bernard McGivern, as he searched for the baby.

Campbell was found lying on top of the girl in a lane about 20 yards to the rear of the house.

Mr McGivern thought Campbell was a drunk when he saw him on a patch of grass and approached to ask if he had seen the missing child.

When the baby was spotted, Campbell tried to escape but was caught by Mr McGivern, who then shielded him from a furious mob until police arrived.

The child required hospital treatment for cuts and bruises. She was also tested for sexually transmitted diseases and the results were negative.

Temporary judge Mr Stewart said: "This is a quite horrific crime. A child was taken from her bed and you were about to rape her.

"Only the intervention of witnesses stopped you from doing so. The long-term effects on the child appear to be minimal. The effect on the parents are substantial and still continue.

Campbell pleaded guilty last month to the attempted rape and to assaulting Mr McGivern, struggling with him and biting him on the arm.

Campbell's defence counsel Ruth Anderson QC told the court today that she could not argue with a prison report that classed her client as a high risk offender.

But she said Campbell had expressed remorse and pointed out that the baby had suffered no lasting injury and had no recollection of the ordeal.