JUSTICE FROM BEYOND GRAVE
Dead child abuse victim’s testimony from 18 years ago finally puts rapist behind bars .. and now her family say she can rest in peace
A CHILD sex abuse victim brought her rapist to justice from beyond the grave after her testimony was used to convict him of further crimes almost two decades later.
The family of tragic Tracey Callaghan say the mum can finally rest in peace after a police statement she gave 18 years ago led to Daniel Kerr’s conviction.
The 58-year-old joiner was jailed for seven years at the High Court in Edinburgh this week for vile sex attacks on sister-inlaw Tracey, who was just six when the abuse began in the late 1970s, and assaults on another young victim.
A relative of Tracey told the Record: “Both women finally got the justice they deserve.
“People have got to know Daniel Kerr destroyed our family for all those years. He was lying under the radar and now he’s where he should be.”
Kerr targeted Tracey at her family home in Glasgow’s Pollok after moving in with her sister and abused her for six years.
Deeply scarred by her ordeal, she finally summoned the courage to tell police in 2002 but there was not enough evidence to proceed with the case.
When another victim came forward in 2018, Tracey had already died and her family feared her evidence had been lost forever.
But they told how detectives uncovered her statement and secured vital evidence from the psychologist she had confided in over the abuse.
Kerr, of Priesthill, Glasgow, was jailed on Friday for abusing
Tracey between 1979 and 1985, repeatedly raping her from the age of 10.
Between 1976 and 1983, he used lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards another girl who was just eight when the abuse began.
Kerr, who was about 14 when he began abusing his victims, appeared for sentencing via prison video link after previously being found guilty at trial.
Tracey’s family say his crimes had torn the family apart. They said: “He was in Tracey’s life until she spoke out 18 years ago.
“She went to the police and gave a statement. At that point the other victim wasn’t strong enough to come forward and make a statement.
“Five years later Tracey died. She was a mum-of-two. She had become severely depressed but she got up one morning and went to smoke a cigarette and just stopped breathing.
“It was unascertained. The doctors said they will never know if it was the combination of drugs she was on due to her illness.
“When the other victim came forward in 2018 the police weren’t hopeful they would get anywhere because Tracey was now dead but they found her statement in the archives. They also found Tracey’s psychiatrist.
“I believe Tracey watched over that full trial and was with the other victim. She had been terrified of him. She will be so happy he’s where he should be now and that he’s not able to touch body else.
“The family are elated. Justice has finally been done.”
Kerr’s defence counsel
Lorenzo Alonzi told the court Kerr had four children and five grandchildren, and had been with his wife since he was 16 and had a “successful marriage”.
He said there was a “pretty dysfunctional background” his client was living in at that time and risk assessment found him to be a “low risk of sexual reconviction”.
Alonzi said: “The fact that he was of a young age and went on to live a very good life is important when it comes to mitigation of sentence.”
Judge Lord Braid told Kerr there was “no escaping” from the serious charges, particularly rape, and “punishment and deterrence justified a significant sentence”.
Jailing him, he also ordered Kerr to be put on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.