May 2017 Paedophile who raped young girl in Coatbridge jailed for eight years A paedophile who sexually abused three young sisters and their cousin in Coatbridge more than 40 years ago has been caged for eight years. Samuel McCuaig’s victims had been abused by men who passed them around a horrific organised “paedophile ring”, but the 58-year-old escaped earlier prosecution for offences committed in the 1970s because of a lack of evidence. McCuaig has now been convicted of raping a nine-year-old girl – a cousin of his other three victims – at a house in Coatbridge during a 12-month period from February 1976. Sentencing despicable McCuaig at the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lord Armstrong told him: “Three of your victims were aged between seven and 10 when you abused them. “The fourth girl was 16. These offences are of a particularly grievous nature. “According to the background report prepared you lack insight into the impact of your actions on the victims and display little if any remorse.” McCuaig was also found guilty of indecently assaulting an “intellectually challenged” teenage girl at a house in the town between 1975 and 1978. Formerly of Coatbridge but more recently living in Devon, McCuaig was acquitted of two charges of raping the older girl prior to April 1974, when she was aged between 13 and 15, after the jury at the High Court in Livingston returned not proven verdicts. He was further found guilty of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards another of the teenager’s sisters between 1975 and 1979. His victim on this occasion was aged just seven when McCuaig and other men started abusing her. McCuaig had denied all the charges but the jury took less than two hours to return majority verdicts, finding him guilty of four serious sex offences. Advocate depute Lisa Gillespie told the jury: “These girls were subjected to horrific sexual abuse by men. “Although the details are not exactly the same, they are closely connected. “All of these incidents are properly seen as one big crime with four main witnesses.” In 1994 McCuaig’s father Peter, then aged 65, was found guilty of 17 charges relating to offences between 1964 and 1979. These included nine convictions for rape and he was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison. One girl was raped when she was just eight and another was sexually assaulted when she was only six years old. Two of McCuaig’s uncles pled guilty to similar charges and were also given lengthy prison sentences. April 2017 Paedophile guilty of child abuse A paedophile has been convicted of sexually abusing three young sisters and their cousin in Coatbridge more than 40 years ago. Samuel McCuaig’s victims had been abused by men who passed them around an organised “paedophile ring”, but the 58-year-old escaped earlier prosecution for offences committed in the 1970s because of a lack of evidence. McCuaig has now been convicted of raping a nine-year-old girl – a cousin of his other three victims – at a house in Coatbridge during a 12-month period from February 1976. He was also found guilty of indecently assaulting an “intellectually challenged” teenage girl at a house in the town between 1975 and 1978. The jury at the High Court in Livingston heard that McCuaig got into bed with her and her sister and took turns with another man to lie on top of her, simulate sexual intercourse with her and indecently assault her. McCuaig, formerly of Coatbridge but until now living in Devon, was also found guilty of attempting to rape the teenager’s nine-year-old sister during the same disturbing incident. He was acquitted of two charges of raping the older girl prior to April 1974, when she was aged between 13 and 15, after the jury returned not proven verdicts. McCuaig was further found guilty of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards another of the teenager’s sisters between 1975 and 1979. His victim on this occasion was aged just seven when McCuaig and other men started abusing her. McCuaig had denied all the charges but the jury took less than two hours to return majority verdicts, finding him guilty of four serious sex offences. Advocate depute Lisa Gillespie told the jury: “These girls were subjected to horrific sexual abuse by men. “Although the details are not exactly the same, they are closely connected. “All of these incidents are properly seen as one big crime with four main witnesses.” Judge Lord Armstrong told McCuaig: “The jury have convicted you of four grave crimes against young women who were vulnerable some time ago.” The judge remanded McCuaig in custody and told him he would pass sentence at Glasgow High Court on May 23. He ordered McCuaig’s name to be added to the sex offenders’ register. McCuaig showed no emotion as he was led to the cells. In 1994 McCuaig’s father Peter, then aged 65, was found guilty of 17 charges relating to offences between 1964 and 1979. These included nine convictions for rape and he was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison. One girl was raped when she was just eight and another was sexually assaulted when she was only six years old. Two of McCuaig’s uncles pled guilty to similar charges and were also given lengthy prison sentences.