ANDREW HEEPS SENTENCED IN HIGHLAND AND HAMILTON CASES

In March 2019, Andrew Heeps, 55, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after admitting to attempted rape and multiple sexual offences involving young girls.

Heeps, from West Lothian, appeared at the High Court in Glasgow, where he admitted to attempting to rape a young girl at a house in a Highland village in the early 1990s, when she was a child. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing another girl at various addresses in Lanarkshire between September 2004 and September 2006, during her teenage years.

Defense solicitor Jennifer Bain stated: “Mr Heeps was himself abused as a child and that had an impact on him, although he is not putting that forward as an excuse. He has expressed regret for what he did.”

Prosecutor Duncan McPhie explained: “The second girl helped him with his work as a delivery driver for a takeaway restaurant. He made comments about her breasts and then progressed to him placing his hands on them and making jokes.”

The court heard that Heeps, from West Lothian, began touching her private parts and would often say “Go on, just give us a feel.” The court was also told that Heeps entered the girl’s bedroom, got into bed with her, kissed her, and then attempted to rape her.

In a later incident in March 2017, Heeps contacted his victim via Facebook. After she confronted him about this contact, she reported the matter to the police. Another victim, who had been sexually abused by Heeps, also came forward and contacted authorities.

Judge Lord Arthurson, emphasizing that Heeps was a first-time offender, ordered him to be placed on the sex offenders’ register and remarked: “You have committed extremely serious sexual offences against young girls.”

Separately, in February 2019, it was reported that Heeps pled guilty to attempting to rape another young girl and to sexually assaulting a different girl in Hamilton.

Heeps admitted to trying to rape the girl at a Highland house in 1992 or 1993, when she was approximately 11 or 12 years old. He also confessed to sexually abusing another girl at various locations in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, between September 2004 and September 2006, when she was between 14 and 15 years old.

Prosecutor Duncan McPhie reiterated: “The second girl helped him with his work as a delivery driver for a takeaway restaurant. He made comments about her breasts and then progressed to him placing his hands on them and making jokes.”

The court further heard that Heeps started touching her private parts and would repeatedly say “Go on, just give us a feel.” The incident involving an attempted rape occurred while Heeps and his wife were visiting friends; after an argument that led his wife to leave and sit in their car, he entered the girl’s bedroom, got into her bed, kissed her, and tried to rape her, despite her attempts to resist and move away.

She confided in her sister and cousin about what had happened but asked them not to tell anyone. In March 2017, Heeps reached out to his victim via Facebook, and after she confronted him, she reported the incident to the police. The other victim also contacted law enforcement.

Judge Lord Arthurson once again ordered Heeps to be placed on the sex offenders’ register and noted: “You have pled guilty to extremely serious sexual offences against young girls.” The court deferred sentencing until the following month to allow for background reports to be prepared.