Child rapist back behind bars after allowing children to visit his flat

Thomas McColl was jailed for eight years for raping a 12-year-old girl back in 2007 and was monitored for another five years after that.

But shortly after that expired, the 34-year-old allowed three girls under 16 to visit his home in Kelso, unsupervised, on various occasions.

He also admitted charges of supplying alcohol to a 16-year-old boy and also a 16-year-old girl at his flat in Rennie Court between August and October last year.

McColl appeared by videolink at Selkirk Sheriff Court, where he pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

Jailing him for 20 months, Sheriff Peter Paterson said it was "inexplicable" that McColl allowed young girls to visit his flat, given his record.

He told him: “You knew full well what was involved.”

Defence lawyer Ross Dow pointed out his client was never alone with one child at any point, adding: “He does not have many friends.”

McColl’s prison sentence was back-dated to November 9 when he was first remanded in custody in connection with the matter.

In 2007 he was jailed for eight years for raping a 12 year-old girl in Hawick.

McColl, who was 21 at the time, claimed young girls "fancied" him and carried out the attack while he was high on drink and drugs.