Cross-dresser had 'rape and murder kit' in boot of car

Published on Friday 15 May 2009 22:05

AN ARMED stalker who donned a lady's skirt and tights to pursue a terrified grandmother was yesterday branded "a very serious danger to the public".

Christopher Magilton had his case remitted to the High Court after a sheriff said his own sentencing powers were not adequate to deal with him.

It emerged that Magilton's details were sent to every police force in the UK in connection with unsolved crimes of sexual violence.

He was caught with a "rape and murder kit" in the boot of his car after chasing stranger Shirley Rennie, 52, for ten miles as she made her way home from late night shopping in Perth.

Cross-dresser Magilton, who had taken cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis, was discovered with a hunting knife under the seat of his car.

Shocked police officers also found a Hallowe'en mask, a lady's wig, a length of rope, sex toys, drugs, hardcore porn, a brand new spade, plastic sheeting, gloves and several pairs of tights in the boot.

Sheriff Robert McCreadie said: "I have grave concerns about the intentions of the accused. His accounts about the items in the car have done nothing to reassure me.

"I am satisfied there is a risk he will endanger the physical or psychological wellbeing of the public at large. Whether he is a serious danger to lives, I am unable to judge.

"This was an offence of considerable gravity and the fear it must have caused the complainer can hardly be imagined. There are other elements of this case I consider to be deeply disturbing.

"The presence of those items in the car is deeply disturbing. It is also deeply concerning that he denies any sexual motivation.

"Given the exceptional and very serious nature of this charge and the circumstances surrounding it, I have been unable to satisfy myself that any competent sentence I could impose would be adequate."

Magilton admitted picking Mrs Rennie at random in a supermarket car park and following her in the dead of night while he was wearing tights and a skirt.

Mrs Rennie said: "When I heard what he had in the car, I was totally shocked. I couldn't sleep the night after I heard.

"Who knows what he was planning to do. I don't suppose anyone will ever know apart from him. It was so scary. It was like something you read about. I am going to be quaking when he gets out."

Magilton, formerly of Oldham, admitted breaching the peace by stalking Mrs Rennie on 24 December, as well as having cocaine, speed, cannabis and cannabis resin.

The court was told that Magilton was acting out a fantasy and became sexually aroused by women's tights – wearing them when he had sex with his girlfriend.

He had left his home in Dundee and drove to Perth, where he sat in the car park of a 24-hour Tesco Extra store, until picking his victim when she left the store at 1.30am.

Fiscal depute John Malpass said Magilton drove through several streets in Perth immediately behind the woman and within two miles she became concerned.

"She began to panic and feared that the vehicle was in fact following her," he said.

Magilton continued to follow as she headed for the car park of another branch of Tesco and she eventually managed to seek help from staff who called the police.

He was still in the car park watching the woman when police arrived and he tried to drive off but was intercepted shortly afterwards by officers.

Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said all police forces were alerted after his arrest and checks were made on unsolved crimes going back to the 1980s. He said that none was found to be linked to Magilton.