Sex attacker who snatched girl, 14, on way to school jailed for six years

A MAN who snatched a teenager off the street, before attacking her in a remote lane, has been jailed for six years.

James McMillan forced the 14-year-old into his car as she made her way to school in Dollar, Clackmannanshire, last June.

McMillan assaulted the girl after driving her to a secluded woodland, where he carried out a sex attack.

The father of three also took photos of his victim on his phone and told her he could "make lots of money" if he put them on the internet.

McMillan was caught after a five-month manhunt and confessed taking the girl because he was "angry with the world" and "wanted somebody hurt".

The 40-year-old appeared at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, after previously admitting the sex attack.

The victim sat with family in the public gallery a short distance from McMillan.

Judge Lord Bracadale sentenced McMillan to six years behind bars and also ordered that he be supervised for a further three years on his release.

The judge went on: "This must have been a terrifying experience for the girl. In reading her victim impact statement, this has had a profound effect on her."

Lord Bracadale said the teenager must be commended for how she had tried to come to terms with her ordeal.

In a statement, the girl later said McMillan now had "time to reflect on the mistakes he made" last summer.

She added: "I have moved on, and I hope that everyone linked to the case can do the same. The conclusion of the investigation is exactly what I had been hoping for, and I cannot thank the police enough for all the work they put into the case."

The court earlier heard that McMillan had not known his victim prior to the attack on 21 June.

She had been going to school when McMillan walked past, but then suddenly he turned to face her.

He grabbed the teenager's hand and said: "You are coming with me."

The frightened girl believed he was armed with a knife.

As McMillan marched her to his car, she mouthed "help" to a boy she knew, but he did not realise what was happening.

McMillan bundled the girl into the back of his Vauxhall Vectra and said: "If you don't get in, I'll get the knife back out."

McMillan travelled to a lonely track seven miles away and forced the girl to remove her school uniform.

After the attack, McMillan abandoned the girl in the lane and told her: "I'm going to drive away. If you turn around, I will kill you."

The young victim managed to get away and flagged down a passing driver.

The court heard that it took five months to catch McMillan after he fled to England hours after the crime.

He was arrested after returning to see his mother in Clackmannan.

McMillan initially claimed he had no involvement in the abduction.However, he later admitted that he had been sitting in his car that day "feeling angry with the world".

He claimed he snatched the girl because he "wanted somebody hurt".

Donald Findlay, defending, said McMillan had been "going through a period of despondency" at the time of the attack.

The QC added: "He does not find it easy to explain why this offence came about."

Lord Bracadale told McMillan that the jail term would have been nine years, but for his guilty plea.