Rapist former sailor jailed after attack on schoolgirl in Stenhousemuir wood

Darren Bourn, 31, attacked his 14-year-old victim after meeting her as she hung out with friends in a Falkirk area park.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Bourn - who once sailed the world as a deck hand on yachts - preyed on the girl after walking to a garage to buy her cigarettes.

He took her to woodland in Stenhousemuir, and sexually assaulted her on the night of July 10, 2021.

The court heard how the girl - who is on the autism spectrum - let out “blood curdling screams” during the attack. Horrified residents living nearby heard the shouts around midnight and called 999 for help.

Meanwhile, the girl’s parents ran to the scene - they were tipped off to her whereabouts as their daughter had shared her mobile phone’s location with a friend.

The court heard how they found the girl “sitting on the ground, crying and hysterical”.

Today, judge Norman McFadyen told Bourn, who observed proceedings via video link from his jail cell, that he’d have to go to jail for eight years.

Also ordering him to be supervised by the authorities for three years following his release, judge McFadyen told the rapist: “Your victim was 15 years your junior at the time of the attack. Despite you knowing she was only 14, you sexually assaulted her.

“Her blood curdling screams were heard by householders who were sufficiently concerned to contact 999. I have taken into account of how the rape victim has had her confidence greatly affected.

“You committed a very serious sexual offence against a very vulnerable girl who was aged 14.”

Bourn, from Cape Town, South Africa, was convicted of rape following proceedings at the High Court in Stirling in January 2023.

Sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain reports on his background.

During earlier proceedings, the court heard how Bourn was living at the time with a girlfriend in nearby Larbert, at the time of the attack.

He was identified from CCTV and arrested the next day.

In a recorded interview that was played to jurors, the girl said Bourn had approached her in Crownest Park, also known as The Lido, in Stenhousemuir and asked for cigarettes.

They made him do "star jumps" to "earn" one, and then the victim went with him to the garage to buy more.

She said that, afterwards, he threatened that he would phone the police on her and say she'd been drinking, then led her to the woods.

She said: "I tried to walk away. He kind of got hold of me. I was scared. I told him I wanted to go home.

"He kept hold of my arm and was walking really close to me, then he shoved me down onto the dirt."

Weeping, she told police: "I said 'I know what you're doing, it's disgusting and I'm only 14'. I said 'no' so many times.”

She said she could hardly breath because of Bourn's weight on top of her, and she thought Bourn had not used a condom.

Afterwards, he walked off further into the woods.

The girl said: "That's when I started screaming."

The court also heard that in the period leading up the rape, Bourn had made "distressing and humiliating" sexually explicit remarks to a 71-year-old woman he encountered while she was out for an evening stroll in the area. He also did the same thing to a 59-year-old woman who was working in the garage.

Bourn came to Scotland from South Africa in January 2020 and worked as a boatbuilder on the Moray Firth and in Clydebank after formerly working as a deckhand in the worldwide yachting industry. He was working at the time as a landscaper in the grounds of the nearby Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

He admitted having sexual contact with the girl, to which he claimed she had consented, but denied rape and said he'd been subject to "a false accusation".

In her closing speech, prosecutor Isabella Ennis KC said the girl must have been "terrified", and Bourn was "a liar".

As well as being convicted of rape, Bourn was also found guilty of communicating indecently with the two older women.

He showed no emotion as the verdicts were returned.

On Monday, defence advocate Drew McKenzie said his client knew a custodial term was inevitable. He added: “He has a good work record. He has always been in employment. Mr Bourn appreciates a custodial sentence is inevitable.

“Going forward, he can contribute to society.”

Judge McFadyen also placed Bourn on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Craig Faulds, Forth Valley Public Protection Unit, said: “I welcome the significant custodial sentence handed to Darren Bourn. Bourn’s behaviour towards women and girls has been disgraceful and I would like to pay tribute to those affected by his horrific actions.

"Police Scotland remains committed to tackling all forms of Violence Against Women and Girls. We have specially trained officers who are deployed to each case and work alongside partner agencies to support those affected by this type of abuse.

"I would encourage anyone to report abuse in any form. All reports will be thoroughly investigated.”