ALLAN DONNELLY AND IAN OGILVIE'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN AIRDRIE AND MOTHERWELL

In March 2014, a case emerged involving the heinous crimes committed by two men, Allan Donnelly and Ian Ogilvie, who subjected a young Thai girl to a series of horrifying sexual abuses after she moved to Scotland seeking a better life. The young girl, only 15 years old at the time, endured years of suffering at the hands of these predators, whose actions shocked the entire community.

Ian Ogilvie, aged 50, was a known sex offender who was already on the register for life due to previous convictions. He was also subject to a strict sexual offences prevention order that prohibited him from approaching individuals under the age of 16. Despite these restrictions, Ogilvie engaged in a series of depraved acts, which included filming the abuse, alongside his accomplice Allan Donnelly, aged 47. The two men’s criminal activities came to light after they attempted to involve a third man in the rape of the girl, but this individual chose to report the incident to the police instead.

The authorities acted swiftly after receiving the tip-off, and police investigations revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had moved to Scotland approximately six years prior from Thailand. Her arrival was facilitated by a woman she met, who had previously encountered Donnelly during a holiday in the Far East. Donnelly, who had a prior conviction from the early 1980s for lewd and libidinous conduct, developed a sick obsession with the girl. He began engaging in sexual activities with her at his residence in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, and later introduced her to Ogilvie, who was already on the sex offenders’ register for life after being jailed in Northampton in 2005 for possessing child pornography.

Both men exploited the girl repeatedly, often at Ogilvie’s home in Motherwell, Lanarkshire. It was alleged that they even attempted to organize a rape while the girl was drugged, with reports indicating that they contacted another man, Eric Cunningham, to participate in the assault. Cunningham, however, chose to contact the police in March 2013, leading to a police raid after officers observed Donnelly visiting Ogilvie’s house with the girl.

During the investigation, police seized graphic recordings depicting the girl being abused, including scenes where she was blindfolded and tied up with a rope. Ogilvie, in his police interview, admitted to having met Donnelly in a pub before being introduced to the girl. Donnelly, for his part, largely remained silent during his police interview. The victim and her mother left Scotland shortly after the arrests and have not returned since.

Both men pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including having sex with a child and creating indecent images. Donnelly also admitted to sexual assault and taking the girl to Ogilvie’s home for abuse. Ogilvie was also found to have breached the terms of his sexual offences prevention order. The offences spanned from 2010 to 2013.

In December, Donnelly was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison. Ogilvie’s sentencing was deferred at that time to gather more information about his character. During the subsequent court proceedings, it was revealed that two independent risk assessors recommended that Ogilvie be subjected to a lifelong restriction order, reflecting the high risk he posed to public safety. On that basis, Ogilvie was sentenced to 27 months for engaging in sexual activity with a child, 18 months for producing indecent images, and an additional three years for breaching his sexual offences prevention order. All sentences are to run concurrently.

Judge Lord Pentland emphasized that the minimum period Ogilvie must serve is 27 months before the parole board considers his release. However, he made it clear that this does not guarantee release, as Ogilvie remains a high-risk offender. The judge stated, “There is an abundance of detailed information before me showing that you are a persistent and dangerous sexual offender. Two accredited risk assessors have concluded after comprehensive investigations that because of your sexually deviant personality you present a high risk to public safety.” The parole board will decide whether Ogilvie can be released once he has served the minimum term, but the judge underscored the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing threat he poses to society.