Sex attacker ‘tried to buy schoolgirl’s silence with £1’

Despite Stuart Cairns' attempts to bribe her, the youngster bravely spoke to police in March 2020.

Sex attacker ‘tried to buy schoolgirl’s silence with £1’ Google Maps

A sex attacker tried to buy his victim’s silence by offering her £1, a court heard.

Stuart Cairns preyed on the schoolgirl, who he got to know when he ran a stall at the former Paddy’s Market in Glasgow.

The 68-year-old initially took advantage of the child when they were playing a games console together at a flat in the city’s Maryhill in 2016.

Despite his attempts to bribe her, the youngster bravely spoke to police in March 2020.

A probe then revealed he had raped two women.

Cairns appeared at the High Court in Glasgow.

He arrived from custody having been locked up for eight years in 2018 for sex attacks on a woman and a girl – both not involved in this latest case.

Cairns has now been ordered to serve a further seven and a half years.

He pled guilty to a charge of sexually assaulting the girl between 2016 and 2018 when she was as young as 11.

He also admitted raping the two women between 1994 and 1998.

Prosecutor Bill McVicar said Cairns struck as he sat beside the child while both were playing PlayStation. The teenager kicked him away.

A similar incident occurred the next day. The girl ran to another room, to which he asked if she was “okay”.

Mr McVicar stated: “He said he would give her money if she did not tell anyone. He gave her £1.”

The girl eventually told her mother what happened.

After police were alerted, detectives found more victims.

One woman was repeatedly raped at different address in Maryhill after Cairns demanded sex.

Mr McVicar said this would often happen two to three times a week.

The other victim was also raped at a flat in Maryhill after she had fallen asleep.

The woman felt “disgusted” by what occurred and did not tell anyone until last year.

Cairns was arrested while inside HMP Glenochil.

Donald Findlay QC, defending, said: “He is aware that any prospect of release is distant.”

Lady Stacey said the jail-term would have been ten years, but for the guilty pleas.

The judge told Cairns: “These are despicable crimes. I hope you realise the harm that you have caused to various women.”

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