A young father who raped a nine-year-old girl after pretending to be playing a game with her has been jailed for six years.
Daniel Colville, now 25, raped the child, who cannot be identified, in her own mother’s bed, when he was still a schoolboy.
The High Court heard that on two occasions he had removed her clothing and sexually assaulted and raped her under the guise of playing a so-called “tickle game”.
The incidents, at an address in North Queensferry, happened between December 2010 and February 2011 when Colville himself was still 14.
Colville, a father-of-one from Dunfermline, denied rape and said in evidence the incidents had never happened.
After a six-day trial at the High Court in Stirling, Colville was found guilty by a jury, by a majority verdict.
He was also found guilty, by a majority, of sexually assaulting a teenage girl – over the age of consent – in a late-night incident at the Tesco superstore in Regents Way, Dalgety Bay and of having unlawful sexual intercourse with an underage teenage girl.
Accused had ‘harrowing upbringing’
Judge Lord Sandison sent Colville, of Clunie Road, Dunfermline, to prison following a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Passing sentence, Lord Sandison said: “The likely impact of sexual abuse on young victims cannot be overstated.”
Defence advocate Michael Anderson said a background report on Colville had been prepared and added: “It is clear from the report that he had a pretty harrowing upbringing.”
Mr Anderson said his client’s last offending was some six years ago and told the court: “Perhaps there is a degree of maturity developing within him, given the lack of offending since 2015.”
Lord Sandison acknowledged Colville had an “appalling” childhood and said he also took into account Colville’s relative youth when the offences were committed.
Colville was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for an indefinite period.
