Girl, 14, killed herself 6 weeks after she was raped by family friend

‘A disgraceful thing to do’

A MAN who raped a 14-year-old girl who then killed herself six weeks later has been jailed for nine years.

Father-of-four Thomas Early was sentenced yesterday after admitting the sex attack.

The court heard that Early, 49, stripped off in a flat in Lochgelly, Fife, then forced the child to undress before raping her while she repeatedly begged him to stop. Judge Lady Stacey told Early: ‘You raped a very young girl. She was only 14.

‘I am told you are devastated by what you did. Mr Early, you should be devastated. It was a disgraceful thing to do.

‘The girl struggled and pleaded with you to stop, but you carried on.’

Early, who knew the girl’s brother, attacked his young victim in the early hours of May 28, 2019, while she was staying with her sibling.

Prosecutor Paul Kearney said: ‘Around 3am the girl got up to go to the toilet and the accused called to her to come through to the living room. He then asked her to sit beside him on the couch. The accused began to ask her about sexual matters.’

The High Court in Glasgow heard the girl was wary of Early because she knew of his history of violence.

She tried to prevent him raping her, but he was bigger and stronger. Throughout the rape she pleaded with Early to stop and struggled with him.

Following the attack, Early told her to return to her bedroom.

The next day the girl’s brother and his girlfriend noticed she appeared distant and troubled.

They repeatedly asked her what was wrong and eventually she wrote down what had happened and police were called.

Forensic tests linked Early to the attack. Mr Kearney said: ‘The girl took her own life on July 8, 2019, a few days after her 15th birthday.’

Early has previous convictions, including a High Court conviction from 1996 for assault, for which he was jailed for eight years.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson said: ‘He has a long-standing drug problem and has been in and out of prison.

‘He consumed a large quantity of strong lager that day. He has little recollection of the events.’

As Early was led to the cells, members of the girl’s family shouted at him: ‘Scum.’

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