Man admits attempted child rape

James Campbell admitted attempted rape

A convicted sex attacker has admitted abducting and attempting to rape a baby in Lanarkshire.

James Campbell, 19, pleaded guilty to breaking into the two-year-old girl's home in Coatbridge and taking her from her bed on 10 July.

Campbell had been freed early from a jail term for another sexual offence.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, temporary judge Alistair Stewart QC deferred sentence for background reports.

Campbell also pleaded guilty to attacking a man who was helping search for the girl, struggling with him and biting him on the arm.

He further admitted stealing items from the child's home, including a knife, a bottle of vodka and a container of moisturising lotion.

Campbell had been released on licence half way through a sentence for breaking into an elderly women's house with intent to rape.

The child appeared to be in a state of shock Advocate depute John Beckett

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

The girl's father put her to bed at about 2100 BST and checked on her several times before he went to sleep.

Advocate depute John Beckett said the alarm was raised after the girl's grandmother returned to the house to discover the baby was missing.

Door unlocked

The back door was unlocked and a torch was lying on the kitchen table, the court heard.

"This caused her some alarm and she called for a friend next door to come through," Mr Beckett said.

"Both women went upstairs to check the children's bedroom and discovered the victim was missing and the alarm was raised."

The girl's father was joined by a group of concerned neighbours as he searched for the baby.

The public are not safe and victims are not being served Annabel Goldie Tory justice spokeswoman

Campbell and the girl were found on a lane about 20 yards from the house.

"The child appeared to be in a state of shock. Her eyes were wide open and she was silent," Mr Beckett said.

The child required hospital treatment for cuts and bruises.

The Scottish Conservatives said the case indicated that the Scottish Executive's law and order policies were failing.

Tory justice spokeswoman Annabel Goldie said: "The public are not safe and victims are not being served for as long as the executive allows automatic early release to continue.

'Legitimate concerns'

"The executive has to think of the public, think of victims and step in and stop this."

A spokesperson for the executive said ministers had made it clear that punishment should fit the crime.

"For serious criminals and serious crimes, that should mean serious time," the spokesperson went on.

"They (ministers) are very aware of legitimate public concerns about the consistency of sentences.

"That's why a Sentencing Commission has been established and that's why reviewing the issue of automatic early release is one of its first priorities."