WILLIAM WINGATE: HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSER FROM LOCKERBIE SENTENCED IN EDINBURGH

In a chilling case that has shocked the Scottish community, William Wingate, a 58-year-old man formerly residing in Lockerbie, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against young girls over a span of more than a decade. The crimes took place across multiple locations including Johnstone, Paisley, Greenock, and Glasgow, revealing a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior.

Wingate’s reign of terror involved the sexual abuse and assault of at least three young girls, with some victims as young as six years old. The severity and duration of his crimes prompted the court to impose a substantial custodial sentence, emphasizing the long-lasting trauma inflicted upon his victims. During the sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Beckett addressed Wingate directly, stating, “It is plain that such offending has terrible, long-term consequences for your victims. I do consider it necessary to impose a substantial sentence of imprisonment in order to punish you and to seek to deter you and others from abusing children.”

Despite his denial of the charges, Wingate was convicted on ten counts of sexual abuse, having previously contested allegations that spanned from 1986 to 1997. The court’s findings detailed a pattern of abuse that took place in various settings, including private residences in Johnstone, Paisley, and Glasgow, as well as in vehicles and a wooded area locally known as ‘The Privies.’

The first known victim was subjected to indecent advances at a residence in Paisley when she was just nine years old. Wingate’s predatory behavior escalated as he went on to molest a second girl, aged only six, forcing her to perform sex acts in a car and later raping her when she was eight. His depravity continued with a third girl, whom he exposed himself to and assaulted over a period of four years starting from when she was eight years old in Paisley. This victim was also raped by Wingate.

Further victims included an eight-year-old girl targeted in 1990, whom Wingate engaged in sexual acts with and forced to perform acts on him at various locations including Paisley, Johnstone, and Greenock. His abuse extended beyond her twelfth birthday, with reports indicating he raped her after she turned 12.

Another young girl, starting from the age of eight, was subjected to ongoing abuse in Johnstone and Glasgow, as well as in a car traveling through roads connecting these towns. Wingate’s predatory actions were not limited to a single victim but spanned multiple children, each subjected to varying degrees of sexual violence and exploitation.

Throughout the proceedings, Wingate attempted to dismiss the allegations, branding his victims as “liars” and claiming they fabricated the stories for financial gain. However, the court found sufficient evidence to convict him, and he was sentenced accordingly.

In addition to his prison sentence, Lord Beckett ordered that Wingate remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely, underscoring the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.