JAMIE STARRS AND BRUTAL CRIMES IN LANARKSHIRE
| Red Rose Database
Lanarkshire Rapist
A young man named Jamie Starrs has been sentenced to prison after committing a series of heinous sexual offenses within Lanarkshire. Starrs, aged 20, was found guilty of raping a vulnerable schoolgirl named Amber Gibson just five months prior to her tragic death. The incident took place at a property in Bothwell, South Lanarkshire, in June 2021. Amber, who was only 16 years old at the time, was in a state of unconsciousness or asleep when Starrs carried out his assault.
This disturbing act took place before Amber was later sexually assaulted and murdered by her older brother, Connor Gibson, aged 19, in November 2021. However, the evidence Amber provided to police before her death played a critical role in ultimately bringing Starrs to justice. Her detailed statement described the assault in graphic terms, revealing her awareness and suffering, which proved decisive in the courtroom.
During the trial at the High Court in Lanark, Starrs vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Nevertheless, the jury deliberated for only two hours before returning a conviction. They found him guilty not only of raping Amber but also of assaulting a second teenage girl approximately two weeks earlier.
Judge Thomas Welsh presided over the case, which was conducted via video link from Starrs’s detention. In delivering his judgment, the judge condemned the crimes as 'appalling' and expressed concern about Starrs’s high risk of reoffending. He noted, 'You have been convicted of appalling crimes against two innocent teenage girls and you have been assessed as being of very high risk of sexual violence on release.'
While acknowledging Starrs’s young age and troubled background, which he said included removal from parental care at age three and the development of addiction issues from age nine, Judge Welsh emphasized the seriousness of the offenses. He explained that these factors would normally mitigate sentencing but, given the gravity of the crimes, he imposed an extended sentence of ten-and-a-half years behind bars, along with a two-year period of supervised release following his imprisonment. The court also found Starrs guilty of breaching bail conditions and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Furthermore, he was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely.
In mitigation, Starrs’s legal representative, Michael Meehan KC, argued that his client’s youthfulness warranted a lenient approach in line with sentencing guidelines that account for lower maturity levels in those under 25. A psychological report referenced cognitive and emotional immaturity, linking his adverse childhood experiences—being taken from his parents at age three and struggling with addiction from age nine—as potential explanations for his behavior.
The police had previously detailed the assault through statements collected from Amber Gibson. Investigators described the victim’s account of the assault, including how she was in bed when she noticed she lacked clothes on her lower half and recognized Starrs sleeping nearby. Amber recounted how she saw Starrs wake up and get dressed, putting on a red tracksuit and a blue windbreaker jacket before she managed to gather her trousers and attempted to leave.
Later, Amber was interviewed at a homeless shelter in Blantyre, where she became notably withdrawn when discussions shifted to false accusations of rape on TikTok. It was during this interview that she disclosed she had been raped by Starrs. She told police, 'The reason I think I was raped was that I woke up in a bed with no clothes on my bottom half with a boy I had only met naked under the covers. I can't remember hugging him or kissing him at all.'
The investigation was led by Detective Constable Ross McCaig, who emphasized the significance of Amber’s testimony in securing Starrs’s conviction. The case also highlighted the resilience of Amber’s character, considering her young age and traumatic experiences.
Lanarkshire’s Rape Investigation Unit, led by Detective Inspector Lorraine Wilson, issued a statement condemning Starrs’s actions and commending the victims for their bravery in coming forward. She affirmed that the victims demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience in reporting the assaults, especially given Amber's untimely death prior to justice being served.
The sentencing occurred shortly after Connor Gibson’s conviction for the brutal killing of his sister, Amber, in Cadzow Glen, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. Gibson had lured Amber to the woods on November 26, 2021, where he inflicted a series of violent assaults, including strangulation and physical beating, intending to rape her. Her body was discovered two days later on November 28, 2021, at approximately 10:10 am.
In a disturbing twist, Stephen Corrigan, aged 45, who was the first to find Amber’s body, was later convicted of attempting to obstruct justice by secretly touching and concealing her remains instead of reporting the crime. The leaders of major crimes at Police Scotland condemned the actions of Corrigan and Gibson, emphasizing the importance of remembering Amber’s tragic story rather than the actions of her attackers.
Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone described both men as 'depraved' and expressed hope that the community would focus on Amber’s memory. He stressed that the investigation involved a team of specialized officers working diligently alongside forensic experts, and their professionalism should be recognized.
Gibson’s sentencing is scheduled for September 4, with Judge Lord Mulholland describing his crimes as 'depraved.' Similarly, Corrigan is due to be sentenced next month. The day before his arrest, Gibson posted a tribute on Facebook referring to Amber as a 'ginger midget' and expressing his love for her in a chilling farewell message. His words read: 'Fly high... Amber, you will fly high for the rest of time. We will all miss you. Especially me. I love you ginger midget. GBFN (goodbye for now) X.'
Meanwhile, further details emerged about Gibson’s family, including the recent jail sentence of his father, Peter Gibson, for the rape of a woman in April. This sequence of events highlights a troubling pattern and underscores the profound tragedy surrounding Amber Gibson’s death and her family’s history in Lanarkshire.
This disturbing act took place before Amber was later sexually assaulted and murdered by her older brother, Connor Gibson, aged 19, in November 2021. However, the evidence Amber provided to police before her death played a critical role in ultimately bringing Starrs to justice. Her detailed statement described the assault in graphic terms, revealing her awareness and suffering, which proved decisive in the courtroom.
During the trial at the High Court in Lanark, Starrs vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Nevertheless, the jury deliberated for only two hours before returning a conviction. They found him guilty not only of raping Amber but also of assaulting a second teenage girl approximately two weeks earlier.
Judge Thomas Welsh presided over the case, which was conducted via video link from Starrs’s detention. In delivering his judgment, the judge condemned the crimes as 'appalling' and expressed concern about Starrs’s high risk of reoffending. He noted, 'You have been convicted of appalling crimes against two innocent teenage girls and you have been assessed as being of very high risk of sexual violence on release.'
While acknowledging Starrs’s young age and troubled background, which he said included removal from parental care at age three and the development of addiction issues from age nine, Judge Welsh emphasized the seriousness of the offenses. He explained that these factors would normally mitigate sentencing but, given the gravity of the crimes, he imposed an extended sentence of ten-and-a-half years behind bars, along with a two-year period of supervised release following his imprisonment. The court also found Starrs guilty of breaching bail conditions and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Furthermore, he was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely.
In mitigation, Starrs’s legal representative, Michael Meehan KC, argued that his client’s youthfulness warranted a lenient approach in line with sentencing guidelines that account for lower maturity levels in those under 25. A psychological report referenced cognitive and emotional immaturity, linking his adverse childhood experiences—being taken from his parents at age three and struggling with addiction from age nine—as potential explanations for his behavior.
The police had previously detailed the assault through statements collected from Amber Gibson. Investigators described the victim’s account of the assault, including how she was in bed when she noticed she lacked clothes on her lower half and recognized Starrs sleeping nearby. Amber recounted how she saw Starrs wake up and get dressed, putting on a red tracksuit and a blue windbreaker jacket before she managed to gather her trousers and attempted to leave.
Later, Amber was interviewed at a homeless shelter in Blantyre, where she became notably withdrawn when discussions shifted to false accusations of rape on TikTok. It was during this interview that she disclosed she had been raped by Starrs. She told police, 'The reason I think I was raped was that I woke up in a bed with no clothes on my bottom half with a boy I had only met naked under the covers. I can't remember hugging him or kissing him at all.'
The investigation was led by Detective Constable Ross McCaig, who emphasized the significance of Amber’s testimony in securing Starrs’s conviction. The case also highlighted the resilience of Amber’s character, considering her young age and traumatic experiences.
Lanarkshire’s Rape Investigation Unit, led by Detective Inspector Lorraine Wilson, issued a statement condemning Starrs’s actions and commending the victims for their bravery in coming forward. She affirmed that the victims demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience in reporting the assaults, especially given Amber's untimely death prior to justice being served.
The sentencing occurred shortly after Connor Gibson’s conviction for the brutal killing of his sister, Amber, in Cadzow Glen, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. Gibson had lured Amber to the woods on November 26, 2021, where he inflicted a series of violent assaults, including strangulation and physical beating, intending to rape her. Her body was discovered two days later on November 28, 2021, at approximately 10:10 am.
In a disturbing twist, Stephen Corrigan, aged 45, who was the first to find Amber’s body, was later convicted of attempting to obstruct justice by secretly touching and concealing her remains instead of reporting the crime. The leaders of major crimes at Police Scotland condemned the actions of Corrigan and Gibson, emphasizing the importance of remembering Amber’s tragic story rather than the actions of her attackers.
Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone described both men as 'depraved' and expressed hope that the community would focus on Amber’s memory. He stressed that the investigation involved a team of specialized officers working diligently alongside forensic experts, and their professionalism should be recognized.
Gibson’s sentencing is scheduled for September 4, with Judge Lord Mulholland describing his crimes as 'depraved.' Similarly, Corrigan is due to be sentenced next month. The day before his arrest, Gibson posted a tribute on Facebook referring to Amber as a 'ginger midget' and expressing his love for her in a chilling farewell message. His words read: 'Fly high... Amber, you will fly high for the rest of time. We will all miss you. Especially me. I love you ginger midget. GBFN (goodbye for now) X.'
Meanwhile, further details emerged about Gibson’s family, including the recent jail sentence of his father, Peter Gibson, for the rape of a woman in April. This sequence of events highlights a troubling pattern and underscores the profound tragedy surrounding Amber Gibson’s death and her family’s history in Lanarkshire.