A victim-blaming rapist who preyed on teenagers, including a girl who had just turned 13, has been jailed for ten years for “offences of the utmost seriousness”.
Karl Calder-Harley raped three victims and had sex with one of them when she was underage during a catalogue of offending.
A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh that he had read victim impact statements from those he abused and said they made “harrowing reading”.
Lord Colbeck said: “It is clear your offending behaviour has had a significant effect on each of them and will continue to do so.”
The judge said: “You accept no responsibility for the offences you have been convicted of and blame your victims.”
Lord Colbeck said that Calder-Harley, 26, formerly of King Street, Stenhousemuir, in Stirlingshire, had shown no insight into his offending behaviour and was assessed as posing a medium risk of sexual offending.
The judge said he had particular regard to the ages of the victims and noted that in the offence against the youngest there was “a degree of planning” as he arranged to take her for a drive after meeting her on social media.
Calder-Harley targeted the child shortly after she became 13 after finding her on TikTok. He messaged her on Snapchat and she agreed to meet him.
He drove to an area between the Stirlingshire villages of Airth and Throsk before sexually assaulting and raping her in his customised Ford Mondeo in December 2020.
An investigation revealed that another underage girl, who was 15 at the time, was also assaulted and raped by him between April 2016 and June 2017.
Calder-Harley was also convicted of having unlawful sex with the underage girl whom he used to collect in her school uniform from her high school.
His first victim was aged about 18 when he raped her on an occasion between June 2013 and June 2014 at an address in Stenhousemuir.
Calder-Harley had denied the offences during an earlier trial at the High Court in Stirling but was found guilty of the crimes.
Lord Colbeck said: “You continue to deny any responsibility for the offences of which you have been convicted. They are each offences of the utmost seriousness.”
The judge ordered that Calder-Harley should be kept under supervision for a further three-year period during which he will be on licence and can be returned to prison if he breaches its conditions.
Defence counsel Paul Nelson KC said the judge would no doubt take significant note of the ages of the victims but argued that he could deal with the case without imposing an extended sentence – one with a custodial sentence followed by a period on licence in the community.
Lord Colbeck told Calder-Harley that he would be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely following his sentencing.
The judge made non-harassment orders prohibiting the sex offender contacting victims.
Detective Inspector Forbes Wilson of the Forth Valley Public Protection Unit welcomed the sentence.
He said: “Calder-Harley conducted violent and controlling behaviour towards his victims and I hope this verdict will bring some form of closure for them.
“Police Scotland is committed to bringing those responsible for sexual and physical abuse crimes to justice and works with a number of partner agencies in the justice and third sector to support victims and carry out investigations.
“Anyone with any concerns or information, no matter the length of time that has passed, should contact Police Scotland via 101 or make a call anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
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