A VILE sex predator who subjected a girl to a rape ordeal before later attacking when she was an expectant mother was jailed this week.

Joseph Glass used violence and threats against children and a woman during a catalogue of sexual offending against his victims.

The despicable 68-year-old raped a woman while she asleep at a house in Clackmannan and in separate assaults grabbed her by the throat and held a knife to her neck.

He also preyed on one girl from the age of 11 and subjected her to indecent assaults when he lifted her up and sexually touched her.

A second girl was subjected to indecency offences by Glass between 1998 and 2003, beginning when she was aged just eight.

He molested the child at a house in Clackmannan, and in a nearby woods, and carried out sex acts on her and on himself.

Glass also raped the victim on an occasion when she was 10 or 11 and grabbed her and took off her lower clothing.

The woman, now aged 28, said that her sexual abuse ended when she was aged about 13 but told the High Court in Edinburgh that she did not know why it stopped.

Nevertheless, the wretched Glass also assaulted her while she was expecting a child.

She said she later visited a house in Engelen Drive, Alloa, and Glass had come in from the pub leaving a pet dog terrified.

The woman told the court: "He grabbed me and punched me in the stomach. I was pregnant with my wee girl at that point."

She agreed that in 2010 she spoke to the police, but said she did not want the past dragged up.

She told officers that she knew it was about what had happened to her when she was 10, but said: "I don't want this to go any further. I don't want to talk about it."

But the woman said she tried to take her own life and became involved with mental health services and was urged to come forward to report what had happened to her.

Glass had denied a string of charges during a trial, but was found guilty of eight crimes including two charges of rape, indecent assault, indecent conduct, assault and uttering threats of violence, all committed between 1998 and 2007.

The trial judge, Lady Clark of Calton, told the pensioner: "You have been convicted of very serious offences."

She called for a background report on Glass ahead of sentencing next month and remanded him in custody. He was placed on the sex offenders' register.

After the jury returned its verdict advocate depute John Scott QC told the court that Glass had previously been jailed at the High Court in 2012 for similar offending.

He abused two children between February 1988 and September 1990 in Alloa.

One of his victims came forward in 2010 and the paedophile was later jailed for five years in August 2012.

  • Anyone who was been affected by sexual violence can seek help by calling Rape Crisis Scotland on 08088 01 03 02.
     
  • Adult survivors of childhood abuse can access support and counselling from the Open Secret provision of Wellbeing Scotland on 01324 630 100.