KRISS STRACHAN FROM BELLSHILL SENTENCED FOR STALKING AND SEXUAL OFFENSES IN LANARKSHIRE

In December 2022, Kriss Strachan, a convicted sex offender from Bellshill, was involved in a series of disturbing criminal activities that highlighted his dangerous and obsessive behavior. Strachan, now 25 years old, had previously served a 12-year prison sentence for the heinous rape of a 91-year-old woman. His latest actions, which included stalking and harassment, led to further imprisonment and significant legal restrictions.

Strachan's criminal history is marked by a brutal attack on an elderly woman in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, which occurred when he was just 17 years old. According to court reports, he forcibly entered her home, pushed her to the ground, and subjected her to a violent assault that involved threats of death, repeated punches to her head, neck compression, and sexual assault. During this attack, he also infected her with a sexually transmitted disease. The severity of his actions was described by the judge as cruel and degrading.

His criminal record also includes a conviction for raping the 91-year-old woman, which resulted in a 12-year prison sentence. Despite this, Strachan's troubling behavior did not cease upon his incarceration. In 2017, while still serving his sentence, he sent a letter from Polmont Young Offenders' Institution in Stirlingshire, expressing his love for a woman he had known briefly when they were both 16. The victim, who was 25 at the time of the court proceedings, had kept her distance, making it clear she was not interested in rekindling any relationship.

However, Strachan's obsession persisted. In November 2018, she discovered a voice message from him on her phone, in which he made derogatory remarks about her engagement to a man significantly older than her. He also expressed anger about her not informing him earlier. Over the following year, he continued to harass her through messages and letters, revealing personal details about her life, including the type of van her fiancé drove and where he lived. Strachan even stated that he would be released on a tracking device and planned to visit her once out of jail.

The victim, overwhelmed by the relentless harassment, confided in her mother and her new partner, which led to her mother contacting Glenochil Prison in Clackmannanshire. The prison confirmed they would block Strachan's phone, but despite these measures, the calls and texts persisted. This prompted police intervention, resulting in Strachan's arrest and subsequent charges.

During a court appearance via video link from Barlinnie Prison, Strachan admitted to stalking the woman for over two years, from November 2018 to February 2021, while he was detained in both Polmont and Glenochil prisons. His defense lawyer, Stephen Biggam, expressed that Strachan was remorseful, acknowledging that his own foolishness had extended his incarceration unnecessarily.

Sheriff Craig Harries sentenced Strachan to an additional two years in prison and imposed a 20-year ban on any form of contact or approaching the victim. The sheriff emphasized that Strachan was fully aware that the woman did not want any contact, yet he continued to pursue her through letters and phone calls, even after she explicitly made her wishes clear. The court highlighted that Strachan's actions were not only invasive but also threatening, as he possessed personal information about her that he could only have obtained while incarcerated.

Furthermore, the sheriff pointed out that Strachan's continued harassment caused significant emotional distress, including mental health deterioration and physical sickness due to worry. His behavior demonstrated a disturbing need to exert control over her life, which was especially egregious given his previous conviction for a violent sexual offense. The court also noted that a background report classified Strachan as posing a substantial risk, particularly to women.

In addition to his current sentence, Scottish Ministers may impose a further seven-year extension, as was previously ordered by Lord Boyd in 2015. The judge described the impact of the original rape as truly appalling, and Strachan's own words at the time—