Man convicted of historic rape of five-year-old girl in Fife

A man has been convicted of the historic rape of a five-year-old girl in Fife.

Brian Walker, 36, wept as he protested his innocence to judge Lady Haldane at the end of his trial at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday afternoon.

A jury had convicted Walker moments earlier on a charge of raping the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at an address in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Walker, of Bo’Ness, West Lothian, had pleaded not guilty to carrying out the attack against the child on September 16, 2006.

The jury heard how the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, did not tell anybody about what had happened for many years.

She eventually confided in family members in December 2020. Police launched an investigation into Walker’s activities and gathered enough evidence to charge him.

During his closing speech on Monday, prosecutor Stewart Ronnie told jurors there was enough evidence available to prove the Crown’s case against Walker.

He added: “You can be confident that Brian Walker is guilty of the crimes libelled against him.”

Following the conviction, Lady Haldane heard how Walker had never previously served a prison sentence. This meant the judge was legally obliged to obtain a report into his background.

As Lady Haldane explained to Walker the legal procedures following his conviction, the accused started crying in the dock.

He interrupted Lady Haldane to say: “I didn’t do it. I didn’t do it.”

Walker turned to family members who were sitting in the public benches of the court.

Defence advocate Michael Anderson KC told Lady Haldane that he would reserve his mitigation until the sentencing hearing next month. Mr Anderson also asked for his client to be given bail.

Lady Haldane refused the request and remanded the accused to prison.

She added: “The nature of the conviction means a custodial sentence is inevitable. In these circumstances, bail is revoked.”

Walker will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on August 20, 2025.