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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Life term for 'sordid' sex attack | Life term for 'sordid' sex attack |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A convicted rapist who carried out a sexual assault on a woman in Dumfries hours after being freed by the police has been jailed for life. | A convicted rapist who carried out a sexual assault on a woman in Dumfries hours after being freed by the police has been jailed for life. |
| Officers caught John Turner, 42, with a knife but cautioned him and let him go. | Officers caught John Turner, 42, with a knife but cautioned him and let him go. |
| At the High Court in Glasgow, Lord Mackay sentenced him to a discretionary life term for what he called a "despicable and sordid" attack. | |
| Dumfries and Galloway Police have reviewed procedures in order to avoid any possible repeat of the situation. | Dumfries and Galloway Police have reviewed procedures in order to avoid any possible repeat of the situation. |
| The judge said he had taken into account Turner's long history of offending. | |
| When he was stopped on 6 January with a knife Turner was cautioned, charged with possession and released. | |
| It is certainly worrying when we are concentrating so much on knife crime and trying to eliminate knife crime that the police caught somebody with a knife and then re-released them Dr Elaine Murray MSP | It is certainly worrying when we are concentrating so much on knife crime and trying to eliminate knife crime that the police caught somebody with a knife and then re-released them Dr Elaine Murray MSP |
| Police did not carry out checks which would have shown his violent past, the fact that he was on bail and had been captured on CCTV trying to rob a man. | Police did not carry out checks which would have shown his violent past, the fact that he was on bail and had been captured on CCTV trying to rob a man. |
| Hours later Turner sexually assaulted a woman on waste ground behind a pub in the town. | Hours later Turner sexually assaulted a woman on waste ground behind a pub in the town. |
| He will serve five and a half years before being considered for parole. | He will serve five and a half years before being considered for parole. |
| The judge described the sexual assault as "despicable and sordid, calculated to humiliate a defenceless woman". | The judge described the sexual assault as "despicable and sordid, calculated to humiliate a defenceless woman". |
| Turner had a large number of previous convictions - including being jailed for six years for rape in 1993. | Turner had a large number of previous convictions - including being jailed for six years for rape in 1993. |
| He admitted assaulting David Dobbie, 45, in Brewery Street by brandishing a knife with intent to rob. | He admitted assaulting David Dobbie, 45, in Brewery Street by brandishing a knife with intent to rob. |
| Turner also admitted being in possession of a lock knife and sexually assaulting a woman on waste land behind the White Hart pub. | Turner also admitted being in possession of a lock knife and sexually assaulting a woman on waste land behind the White Hart pub. |
| The assault victim had been granted two hours unsupervised leave from a psychiatric hospital to visit a relative in Dumfries. | The assault victim had been granted two hours unsupervised leave from a psychiatric hospital to visit a relative in Dumfries. |
| 'Completely unacceptable' | 'Completely unacceptable' |
| The court heard she had gone out and was attacked by Turner who had been drinking heavily. | The court heard she had gone out and was attacked by Turner who had been drinking heavily. |
| Joseph Barr, defending, said that Turner sometimes suffered partial or total amnesia because of his alcohol abuse since the death of his partner. | Joseph Barr, defending, said that Turner sometimes suffered partial or total amnesia because of his alcohol abuse since the death of his partner. |
| He said: "He wants to convey to the woman he assaulted his sincere apologies for his conduct. | He said: "He wants to convey to the woman he assaulted his sincere apologies for his conduct. |
| "He realises it was completely unacceptable." | "He realises it was completely unacceptable." |
| Supt Kate Thomson, of Dumfries and Galloway Police, said a full independent review of the case had been carried out. | Supt Kate Thomson, of Dumfries and Galloway Police, said a full independent review of the case had been carried out. |
| Dumfries and Galloway Police have reviewed procedures | Dumfries and Galloway Police have reviewed procedures |
| "John Turner, the person who has been sentenced today, is responsible for that attack," she said. | "John Turner, the person who has been sentenced today, is responsible for that attack," she said. |
| "However, it is regrettable that the checking procedure that was in place at that time was not followed and was not robust enough to deal with the set of circumstances that prevailed." | "However, it is regrettable that the checking procedure that was in place at that time was not followed and was not robust enough to deal with the set of circumstances that prevailed." |
| New procedures have been introduced to be followed in such circumstances. | New procedures have been introduced to be followed in such circumstances. |
| However, Supt Thomson admitted that if all proper checking had been done at the time Turner's background would have come to light. | However, Supt Thomson admitted that if all proper checking had been done at the time Turner's background would have come to light. |
| "It is regrettable that the full procedures were not followed," she said. | "It is regrettable that the full procedures were not followed," she said. |
| 'Very worrying' | 'Very worrying' |
| Dumfries MSP Dr Elaine Murray expressed concern about the circumstances of the case. | Dumfries MSP Dr Elaine Murray expressed concern about the circumstances of the case. |
| "It is certainly worrying when we are concentrating so much on knife crime and trying to eliminate knife crime that the police caught somebody with a knife and then re-released them," she said. | "It is certainly worrying when we are concentrating so much on knife crime and trying to eliminate knife crime that the police caught somebody with a knife and then re-released them," she said. |
| "The police have said that the proper procedures were not followed in this case and that they have now reviewed procedures. | "The police have said that the proper procedures were not followed in this case and that they have now reviewed procedures. |
| "I would hope that this sort of event would not happen again as it is certainly very worrying and it led on to a very serious offence." | "I would hope that this sort of event would not happen again as it is certainly very worrying and it led on to a very serious offence." |