It is a huge weight off my shoulders ... I can get on with my life
Rape survivor relieved as attacker’s appeal rejected
An inspiring rape survivor has vowed not to be silenced by“serial sex pest” Callum Rainey, who attacked her whilst pregnant, as his conviction and sentencing appeal was rejected.
Rainey of Rutherglen was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault to two separate women at locations in Saltcoats and East Kilbride between September 2020 and August 2021.
Upon his conviction and sentence appeals being refused last month, victim Mo MacMillan, who later lost her baby and waived her rights to anonymity, told us that she hoped her experience would serve as a warning to others.
The East Kilbride survivor said: “When we got the verdict, we were relieved because of how hard these types of cases are to prove.
“It was a hard time and then to find out not long after the decision that he was appealing his sentence and verdict was like a bombshell.
“There was now that chance of it going back to trial and having to relive that all over again. The stress was back again.”
The mother spoke previously about how she “felt violated again” going through the trial and how she couldn’t sleep due to having nightmares and being constantly petrified that it could happen again. After hearing that her attacker was appealing his sentence and conviction, a lot of her trauma returned.
She continued: “It knocked me sick. My anxiety was shockingly bad.
“I couldn’t sleep and I had to put security cameras outside my house in case I was going to get targeted by those that stood by him.
“It knocked my mental health silly.”
But after Rainey’s appeal was rejected Mo feels relieved.
She said: “I got a call on Friday (November 10) from victim support telling me that his appeal had been thrown out.
“It was such a weight off my shoulders and I can now get on with my life without it hanging over me.
“Thankfully, it’s now done. It’s no longer a cloud over my head anymore.
“He maintained his innocence throughout, and those that stuck by him can no longer use the excuse of, ‘Oh, but he’s appealing it’.
“When he does get out, hopefully, he doesn’t hurt anyone else because he is a deviant and serial sex pest.
“I hope that by raising awareness of this, it will warn girls in the future and they can stay clear.”
Rainey will be supervised for an additional two years on his release and remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.