David Johnston jailed for rape bid on abducted girl

A man who admitted abducting a six-year-old girl in Glasgow and sexually assaulting her with intent to rape has been jailed for five and a half years.

David Johnston, 33, took the girl from a street in the Barrowfield area, in the the city's east end, on 7 August.

After the girl's mother called police, a local man found a partially-dressed Johnston with the girl.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Johnston was told he would be monitored for two years after his release.

Jailing him, judge Lady Wise told Johnston: "You lured a six-year-old girl who was out playing in the street with her brother.

"You then took her to a secluded place behind a billboard and you were found with your trousers round your ankles and you hands on the girl's shoulders.

"Your victim was initially inconsolable after her terrifying ordeal."

Lady Wise praised residents in the area who had searched along with police for the little girl, who was wearing a Disney Princess Frozen dress.

She said to Johnston: "You were caught thanks to the efforts of the local people and the police."

The judge said that, but for his early plea of guilty, she would have jailed Johnston for eight years.

An earlier hearing was told how the girl had been out playing in the street when Johnston led her away.

After hearing that her daughter had been taken by a stranger, the girl's mother used her mobile phone to show recent pictures of the child to passers-by.

Police and local people took part in a search for the girl, who was later found by 50-year-old John Farrell.

Mr Farrell had earlier seen Johnston talking to the girl and beckoning her to follow him before leading her away.

During the search, Mr Farrell walked past a large billboard in an area in Fielden Street, near to a Kwik Fit garage.

When he heard a noise, he stepped behind the billboard and saw Johnston standing with his trousers at his ankles.

The little girl was standing only inches in front of him and it appeared to Mr Farrell that Johnston was trying to force her down.

After Mr Farrell shouted at him, a startled Johnston pushed the girl back, causing her to stumble and scream loudly.

Johnston, who was drunk, then reached down and pulled up his trousers and ran off.

He was caught a short distance away by police and said: "You better chop me up. There is something wrong with me. I'm the worst...the most horriblest."

The court heard that following her ordeal, the girl later felt guilt for having gone with a stranger but had since "returned to her happy self".

Johnston also admitted a charge of breach of the peace.

It emerged after his guilty pleas that Johnston had 19 previous convictions, including crimes of disorder, serious assaults and racially-aggravated offences.