WILLIAM HAILES FROM BATHGATE SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN LIVINGSTON

In July 2020, a disturbing case involving William Hailes, a resident of Bathgate, came to light when he was convicted of a heinous sexual assault that took place in Livingston, West Lothian. The incident involved a teenage girl who was subjected to a brutal attack at a private residence on November 8 of the previous year.

During the assault, Hailes, then 21 years old, ignored the desperate pleas of his 16-year-old victim to stop. The attack was characterized by a violent and invasive act where Hailes forcibly pulled down her trousers and pants before forcing her to bend over a bed, where he proceeded to rape her. The young girl was left traumatized by the ordeal, which she could not forget easily.

Following the assault, Hailes displayed a callous attitude, telling the girl that he would “ruin her,” a threat that added to the trauma inflicted upon her. It was revealed that Hailes was already classified as a high-risk registered sex offender, and authorities had been monitoring him prior to this incident, indicating ongoing concerns about his potential for harm.

Just days after the attack, the teenage girl broke down crying and confided in her mother about what had happened. Her emotional distress prompted her mother to contact the police, leading to an investigation that eventually resulted in Hailes’s arrest and prosecution.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Boyd of Duncansby presided over the case. He expressed that if the case had gone to trial and Hailes had been convicted of the offence, he would have sentenced him to six years in prison. However, Hailes was ultimately sentenced to four years of imprisonment. The judge also ordered that Hailes be subjected to six years of supervised monitoring after his release and that he be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Lord Boyd commented on Hailes’s lack of insight into the impact of his actions on the teenage victim, highlighting a concerning aspect of the offender’s attitude. The judge remarked, “Tellingly, you regret the offence because of the impact it has had on you,” suggesting that Hailes’s remorse appeared to be self-centered rather than empathetic towards his victim.

During the sentencing, defence counsel Niall McCluskey requested that the court refrain from imposing an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR), which would keep Hailes incarcerated until he was deemed no longer a danger to society. McCluskey argued that such a severe sentence was disproportionate for a 21-year-old, despite the severity of the crime. The court ultimately decided on a four-year prison term, reflecting the gravity of the offence but also considering the defendant’s age and circumstances.