‘Dig a hole for her,’ sick prank caller told elderly couple from Perth.

Man convinced victims of ‘despicable’ act that he was their son

An elderly couple were left distraught after a “callous” prank caller convinced them their son had had sex with – and possibly murdered – a 15-year-old girl.

James and Eileen McNeela were left traumatised by the late night call from a man claiming to be their son, who said he had the amputee youngster locked up in the back of his car.

“You dig a hole for her and I’ll do the rest,” he told them.

The McNeelas, from Perth, believed it was their son Paul, who lives in Australia. However, police later traced the call to local man Ryan Rattray.

The 30-year-old initially denied making the call while at a party.

He finally confessed when police examined his phone and uncovered a video of him making the call.

Rattray appeared at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted making a grossly offensive, menacing phone call to Mr and Mrs McNeela in November last year.

He narrowly avoided prison and was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

Sheriff William Wood said if he had specifically targeted the couple, rather than chosen a number at random, he would have been sent to jail.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode said 77-year-old Mrs McNeela, who suffers from anxiety, was in bed when the phone rang just after 1am.

Mr McNeela, 81, answered the call and put it on loud speaker.

He heard a male voice say: “I’ve f ***** up, dad.”

Rattray, who sounded upset and under the influence of drugs, told Mr McNeela he had sex with a 15-year-old girl. “I don’t know what to do,” he said. “She’s an amputee and I’ve put her in the boot of my car.”

By this point, Mrs McNeela had joined her husband in the living room.

Mr Kermode said: “Mr Rattray was heard sobbing and crying and Mr and Mrs McNeela were very alarmed by that, thinking this was their son.”

Rattray, Raeburn Park, Perth, told the couple he had been offered white powder from someone at McDonald’s, where he met the girl.

Mr Kermode said: “Mrs McNeela said he should let the girl out of the car immediately, because she must have been terrified.”

Rattray told the couple: “Don’t tell Amanda.” By coincidence, the McNeelas’ real son’s partner is also called Amanda, the court heard.

Rattray went on: “Do you think I should dig a hole in the garden?”

After an anxious night, Mr McNeela called his real son who confirmed he didn’t make the call and suggested they go to the police.

Rattray was soon traced by investigators. When police showed him the clip, he told them: “We were just making prank calls. Do we have to watch the whole video?”

Solicitor Billy Somerville said: “This must have been a most unpleasant experience for the couple. All the things he said he did, they thought to be true.”

Sheriff Wood told Rattray: “What you did can only be described as despicable.”

She’s an amputee and I’ve put her in the boot of my car