Serial Offender John Laming Jailed for Rape of Elderly Woman

This article reports on John Laming, a 32-year-old man who was convicted of raping an 80-year-old woman in her own home on Christmas Eve. Laming had been released from prison just 12 days prior to the attack, having served a four-year sentence for robbery. The pensioner woke up around midnight after her home was broken into and was confronted by Laming. Despite her pleas to stop, Laming assaulted and raped her. The woman was in extreme distress, called her daughter, and was taken to hospital with multiple bruises on her neck and body. She recounted fighting back, saying, "I fought back." Laming was identified through DNA and CCTV evidence and appeared in court via video from prison. He pleaded guilty to the assault and rape at Glasgow's High Court, and the judge, Lady Stacey, deferred sentencing. Senior Detective Inspector Gordon Sneddon praised the victim's courage and emphasized that such crimes are very rare in the community. The article highlights Laming's prior criminal history, including a four-year jail term for robbery served in 2015, and details the attack, including the victim's attempt to defend herself with a metal pole and her panic alarm failing. Laming also drank juice after the assault and insulted the victim, telling her she was "strong like his granny."