JOSEPH GLASS, ALLOA SEX PREDATOR, SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR HORRIFIC OFFENCES

In September 2018, a disturbing case involving Joseph Glass, a man from Alloa, culminated in his sentencing to a prison term of eight years for a series of heinous sexual crimes. The court heard how the 68-year-old offender inflicted unimaginable suffering on multiple victims over a span of years, demonstrating a pattern of violence, threats, and sexual assault.

Joseph Glass's criminal conduct included a range of severe offenses against women and children, with some assaults taking place in the quiet town of Clackmannan. One of his most egregious acts involved raping a woman while she was asleep at a residence in Clackmannan. During the trial, it was revealed that he also assaulted her on other occasions, grabbing her by the throat and even holding a knife to her neck in moments of violence and intimidation.

His predatory behavior extended to young girls, one of whom he began abusing from the age of 11. This victim was subjected to indecent assaults, during which Glass lifted her and inappropriately touched her. Another girl, starting from the age of just eight, was also targeted by Glass between 1998 and 2003. These assaults took place both at a house in Clackmannan and in nearby woodland areas, where he carried out sexual acts on her and on himself. The victim, now aged 28, recounted that her abuse continued until she was approximately 13, though she admitted she did not understand why it ceased.

Adding to his list of crimes, Glass assaulted a woman who was pregnant at the time. The woman, who was later interviewed by police in 2010, described an incident at a house on Engelen Drive in Alloa, where Glass had come in from the pub, leaving a dog terrified. She recounted that he grabbed her and punched her in the stomach, an attack that occurred while she was expecting her young daughter. The woman expressed her reluctance to revisit her trauma, stating, “I don’t want this to go any further. I don’t want to talk about it,” during her police interview. She also revealed that she had attempted to take her own life and sought mental health support, which eventually led her to come forward and report the abuse.

Throughout the trial, Glass denied multiple charges, but the court found him guilty of eight offenses, including two counts of rape, indecent assault, indecent conduct, assault, and threats of violence. These crimes were committed over a period from 1998 to 2007. The presiding judge, Lady Clark of Calton, emphasized the gravity of the case, stating, “You have been convicted of very serious offences.”

It was also revealed that Glass had a prior conviction for similar offenses. In 2012, he was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of abusing two children in Alloa between February 1988 and September 1990. One of his victims came forward in 2010, leading to his earlier incarceration. The recent sentencing on September 20, 2018, reflects the court’s recognition of the ongoing threat posed by Glass.

Detective Constable Ruth Thomson of Forth Valley’s Public Protection Unit commented on the case, stating, “Glass is a predator who attacked and threatened three teenage girls, without any concern for their welfare.” The case underscores the importance of vigilance and justice in addressing such grave crimes, and the community of Alloa remains affected by the revelations of Glass’s disturbing history.