May 2000 SEX MONSTER JAILED FOR RAPING GIRL, 7 A SEX monster who raped a seven-year-old girl then told her she would be placed in a children’s home if she told anyone, was jailed for nine years yesterday. Retired miner James McMurdo, 63, admitted abusing the child and raping her at least three times. The High Court in Glasgow heard how widower McMurdo carried out the attacks on the girl, who was not a relative, when she visited his home in Sanquhar, near Dumfries. Advocate depute Mr Sean Murphy told the court: “The first incident began when the accused showed the girl a pornographic video he was watching and then escalated to the rape. “The accused told her she would end up being put into a children’s home if she told anyone.” The abuse ended when another young girl told an adult. McMurdo’s son arrived at the house, found his father abusing the child and called the police. Defence advocate Mr Lorenzo Alonzi said that McMurdo had led a “blameless and stable life” up until the offences, which were committed between January 1 and 28 this year. Lord Cameron told McMurdo: “You were caught by a member of your own family and that in itself must be a punishment.”