Passers-by failed to stop sex attacker as he dragged away schoolgirl in broad daylight

The teenager feared James McMillan, a complete stranger, had a knife and she was too scared to shout to a friend but silently mouthed "help". However, the friend did not understand and continued on his way.

A motorist also witnessed the abduction but thought it was an argument between a father and a daughter and did not intervene.

McMillan drove the terrified girl, 14, into the country and made her strip naked. He photographed her and forced her to perform an indecent act on him.

After he was caught, he told police he had hated the world and "wanted somebody hurt".

The High Court in Edinburgh was told yesterday that the girl had coped "remarkably well", but she broke down in tears as she listened to details of the offence being narrated.

In a statement issued through Central Scotland Police, she said: "I have never been so scared in my life. I am relieved that the man who did this to me is now about to face the consequences of his actions, as the whole ordeal has been a traumatic and life-altering experience."

McMillan, 40, of Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, admitted abducting the girl on 21 June last year in Dollar, Clackmannanshire, and assaulting her at Linn Mill, near Alloa. He will be sentenced next month.

• Background: Victim's cool under pressure became her attacker's undoing

The court was told that McMillan had a string of previous convictions for dishonesty and motoring offences, but nothing sexual. He had a relationship with a woman who lived in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

The advocate-depute, Alex Prentice, QC, said the girl was walking in Dollar about 8:20am when she heard "clomping" footsteps behind her. McMillan walked past and then suddenly turned to face her. He seized her by the wrist and said: "You are coming with me."

He began to pull her, and she saw what she thought was a knife in his free hand. He walked towards a parked green car, holding her arm and a few paces in front of her. She saw a boy she knew.

"She was too scared to shout but she silently mouthed the word 'help' as the friend approached. He saw that she was apparently holding hands with a male and he noticed she mouthed 'help' but he did not comprehend the situation and therefore continued on his way to school," said Mr Prentice. A woman, 59, was driving in the area and saw the parked green car, and a man pulling a girl."She formed the opinion the female was reluctant and looked anxious, but she thought it was an argument between a dad and his daughter and so did not intervene," added Mr Prentice.

After the girl had been put in the rear of the car, McMillan drove off, and a friend on a bus saw her and thought she looked distressed and uncomfortable.

The girl asked if McMillan was going to hurt her and he said: "I don't know." He took her about eight miles to a farm track. He used a mobile phone to photograph her fully clothed and then naked. He said the images were going on the internet and would earn him lots of money.

McMillan ordered the girl to perform a sex act on him, and then sprayed her hands with a cleaning fluid.

As he drove away he warned her: "If you turn around, I'll kill you." She flagged down a car and the police were alerted.

It was nearly five months before McMillan was caught. He was was finally traced to his mother's home in Clackmannan.

He said he did not know why he did it, but he had been sitting in his car in Dollar and felt angry with the world. He denied having a knife and said the girl had seen his silver mobile phone.

"He was unable to give any explanation for what he had done, saying that he had just hated the world and 'wanted somebody hurt'. At that point, he began to cry," said Mr Prentice.