MARCUS DONALD AND HIS SHOCKING ASSAULT IN LANARKSHIRE AND EAST KILBRIDE

Marcus Donald has been sentenced to more than two years behind bars following a disturbing incident involving a 15-year-old girl near her residence in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.

The incident unfolded after Donald targeted the young girl, who was just a short distance from her home, shortly after she had been out with friends. According to court proceedings, Donald had followed her off a bus in East Kilbride and then made an approach, asking her, "Can I get your number?" The teenage girl, feeling uncomfortable and uneasy about his request, chose to ignore him. Nevertheless, Donald persisted and continued to follow her even after she disembarked from the bus.

The situation escalated rapidly when Donald caught up with her. Despite her efforts to speed up and walk away, he managed to grab her and forcefully shove her to the ground. During this assault, the terrified teenager pleaded for him to stop, tugging at her leggings in a desperate attempt to resist. She screamed for help, calling out to her parents, which happened to coincide with her being just two minutes away from her house.

Prosecutors recounted that Donald punched the girl during the confrontation, and she continued crying out for assistance. Her screams caught the attention of nearby residents, and her father, upon hearing her cries, ran outside in response. He saw Donald standing over his daughter, attempting to remove her leggings, which prompted him to shout at Donald, who then fled the scene.

The young victim was left extremely frightened and traumatized by her ordeal. Authorities soon identified Donald through CCTV footage, which showed him in the vicinity of the girl on the bus. It was also revealed that shortly after the attack, Donald called a taxi. The driver of the taxi later described Donald as breathless and visibly distressed as he entered the vehicle.

During proceedings at the High Court in Glasgow, Lord Burns was informed that Donald, who is also from East Kilbride, had previously been a first-time offender. He pled guilty to charges of assault with intent to rape. The judge emphasized the severity of the crime, describing how Donald carried out a terrifying attack on a vulnerable 15-year-old girl at night and resorted to violence in an attempt to commit sexual assault.

The court heard that Donald’s actions could have warranted a sentence of around three and a half years; however, given the guilty plea, the punishment was set at two years and four months in prison. Additionally, Lord Burns ordered that Donald be subjected to monitoring for a further two years following his release. It was also confirmed that Donald will be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

The judge highlighted that the proximity of the girl’s parents played a crucial role in preventing a potentially even more tragic outcome, and he expressed his hope that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others. Donald’s actions, which took place during the night in East Kilbride, left a lasting impact on the young girl and the community at large, underscoring the importance of justice in protecting vulnerable individuals from predatory behavior.