Man from East Dunbartonshire raped 12-year-old girl in Orlando hotel while on holiday in Florida

An East Dunbartonshire man has been convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl at a hotel in Florida 20 years ago.

Matthew Mackie forced himself on the child, who was on holiday with her family in Orlando in 2002.

The 68 year-old was prosecuted for the crime in Scotland where he also preyed on the same girl as well as a woman and another youngster.

Mackie, who at one stage told jurors he could not remember his 12-year-old victim, is now behind bars after being found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow.

The former soldier, of Twechar, will be sentenced next month.

Jurors heard how Mackie and his partner had gone on holiday to Florida in the summer of 2002.

The girl and her relatives, also from Scotland, were staying at the same hotel.

The families spent time with each other during the holiday.

In evidence, Mackie claimed the only time he was in the girl’s bedroom was to “rub her stomach” when she was apparently unwell.

But, his QC Iain McSporran put to him: “She has a quite different account.

“She describes you forcing yourself and putting considerable pressure on her.

“A crime which would undoubtedly be rape. Did that happen?”

Mackie: “No.” He also denied being attracted to the youngster.

The court heard Mackie ran a car wash in Barrhead, Renfrewshire around that time.

He later gave the same girl a job there to earn “pocket money”.

It was there Mackie exposed himself, made the child see a pornographic film and also had sex toys in view.

He also took the girl on a trip to Arbroath, Angus where he had a holiday caravan – but claimed it was only because the child wanted to visit relatives there.

Mackie repeatedly said he had memory problems during his evidence – including who the 12-year-old was.

Prosecutor Angela Gray asked: “You say that you cannot remember her now?”

Mackie: “Yes – I am not picking up everything.”

Miss Gray: “She is the girl who said that you raped her in Florida.”

He replied: “I did not do that.”

Mackie even insisted not to remember initially being quizzed by police about the rape in 2004.

The advocate depute stated at one stage he was “making things up as he goes along”.

It emerged Mackie was also repeatedly raped a former partner between 1999 and 2004 in Wishaw and Bellshill, both Lanarkshire.

This also included leaving her handcuffed naked to a bed.

He again insisted this “certainly did not happen”.

Mackie further abused a girl between 2012 and 2019 in Twechar starting when she was seven.

He was found guilty of the Florida rape as well lewd and libidinous behaviour on the same child.