Nine years for beast who raped daughter
Twisted dad caged for attack on teen who later took her own life
BY GRANT McCABE reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk A DEPRAVED dad was yesterday jailed for nine years for the rape of his daughter who later took her own life.
James Elder attacked Jamie-Leigh Craig at his flat in Glasgow’s Parkhead in September 2016.
The hysterical 19-year-old later tearfully told her mum what happened.
A jury heard Jamie-Leigh committed suicide at her home in the city’s south side in December 2016.
But she had spoken to police just after the rape and her statement naming Elder as the attacker was read out at the High Court in Glasgow.
It led to Elder, 43, being convicted of the sex attack after a trial last month.
A judge was told yesterday that he continues to deny the crime.
Lord Matthews said: “You have been convicted of the violent rape of your daughter. For a father to assault his daughter in this way is unthinkable.”
He further described the offence as “abhorrent” and a “gross breach of trust”.
Elder will be supervised for two years on his release. He was placed on the sex offenders’ list indefinitely.
Jamie-Leigh had ended up at his flat after walking out of the family home following a row.
She was reported missing and eventually returned with two police officers.
Describing her at that time, her mum Liz Craig told the court: “It was not the daughter I knew. She was hysterical. She was just confused, irritable... just all over the place.”
The mum said her daughter went on to blurt out that Elder “raped” her.
The woman told the jury: “She kneeled beside me and started crying. She put her head on my lap. I put my arms around her and gave her a cuddle. I wish I could do that now.”
The trial heard JamieLeigh recalled being at Elder’s home that night and claimed three other men were also there.
She told police the rape happened after one of the other individuals tried to kiss her, adding: “I was being held down by my arms and he was having sex with me.”
The attack was said to have lasted 10 minutes but “seemed like forever”. She added to police: “I remember feeling disgusting.”