WILLIAM GRIFFIN SENTENCED IN KILMARNOCK FOR PAST ABUSE ON YOUNG GIRLS DURING 1970S

In a significant development in the pursuit of justice for historic child abuse cases, William Griffin, a mechanic from Kilmarnock, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for heinous crimes committed over four decades ago. The court proceedings, held at the High Court in Glasgow, brought to light the disturbing details of Griffin’s long-standing pattern of sexual offenses against young girls in the Kilmarnock area.

Griffin, aged 60 at the time of sentencing, pleaded guilty to multiple charges including rape, lewd and libidinous conduct, and other sexual abuses involving two young victims. The court heard that these crimes took place between 1976 and 1979, a period during which Griffin was between 17 and 20 years old. The victims, who are now adults, courageously came forward after discovering each other on social media, sharing their painful memories of the abuse they endured as children.

The court was informed that Griffin’s first known victim was an 11-year-old girl whom he assaulted in a car parked inside a lock-up garage located on MacIvor Place, Kilmarnock. The incident occurred around 5 pm on August 16, 1976, a date the victim vividly remembered because it coincided with the day Elvis Presley died. According to her testimony, after the assault, Griffin made a disturbing comment, telling her “that was nice,” which added to the trauma she experienced.

Prosecutor Bernard Ablett recounted that Griffin had threatened the young girl, claiming that his father was a policeman and warning her that she would be taken away from her family if she disclosed what had happened. This intimidation was part of Griffin’s pattern of controlling and abusing his victims. The court also heard that Griffin had repeatedly raped another girl, aged between 11 and 14 at the time, including incidents in a field near Kilmarnock and within the same garage setting. The second victim described Griffin’s bad breath and the fact that she had to take a bath afterward, highlighting the disturbing nature of the abuse.

One of the victims revealed that Griffin’s assaults occurred approximately once a week over a span of two years. She was lured into the garage under the pretense of driving one of the cars Griffin was working on, only to be subjected to further abuse. The victims’ accounts, which spanned over 40 years, were instrumental in finally bringing Griffin to justice. They had initially kept their experiences private but later connected through social media, sharing their stories and realizing they were not alone in their suffering.

During the sentencing, Lord Arthurson described Griffin’s conduct as “the sustained and truly appalling abuse of children,” emphasizing the gravity of his crimes. Griffin was also ordered to be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities. The court’s decision reflects the serious nature of these offenses and the importance of protecting vulnerable children from predators like Griffin. Griffin’s guilty plea and the court’s ruling mark a significant step in addressing historic sexual abuse cases in the Kilmarnock community and reaffirm the commitment to justice for victims of such heinous crimes.