Kriss Strachan raped 91-year-old woman in Bellshill

A teenager has admitted raping a 91-year-old woman at her home in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire.

Kriss Strachan, 17, assaulted the pensioner after forcing his way into her home of 40 years in July.

Strachan was arrested after his mother told him to hand himself in. He later told police: "I cannot believe I done it. I am scum."

At the High Court in Glasgow, sentence on Strachan was deferred and he was remanded in custody.

The court heard how the victim had been "active and independent" before her ordeal but now regularly talks about wishing she was dead.

It was also said that Strachan's mother had disowned him following the attack.

The court was told how Strachan had spent the hours before the sex attack drinking with friends at a party.

At about 07:00 on 27 July, the teenage mechanic - who lived nearby, but was not known to the woman - suddenly turned up at the pensioner's door.

The victim, a widow, was in bed, but was awoken by loud knocking.

She answered her door thinking it was a relative - but was met by Strachan who pushed the OAP and demanded that he "wanted sex".

Prosecutor Jane Farquharson told how the woman bravely struggled with her attacker and managed to scratch his face.

The victim started banging walls hoping to get help, but Strachan told her to shut up or he would kill her.

Strachan then grabbed the woman's neck before raining blows on her.

The court heard he eventually raped the 91-year-old before walking out of her home.

The distressed victim managed to stagger to a neighbour's house where she said: "I have been attacked and he had sex with me."

Police were called, but the woman was too traumatised at one point to relive what had happened.

Miss Farquharson told the court: "She said she felt dirty and was becoming more and more withdrawn.

"She whispered to an officer: 'I just want to die'."

The victim also became "extremely anxious" with any men in the room and asked for a female officer to stay beside her.

The court heard she was found to have suffered extensive bruising as a result of the attack.

Later that morning, Strachan's mother learned of the incident at the pensioner's house.

She heard the culprit had worn a green top before discovering a similar item lying over her couch.

The mother confronted her son, who was in bed, and Strachan immediately sobbed: "I am sorry. I want to hand myself in."

She demanded Strachan go with her to a police station, but officers happened to be passing their home and she told the teenager to admit what had happened.

Strachan confessed to them: "It is me you are looking for. I want to kill myself.

"I cannot believe that I done that to the old woman. I am scum."

The court was told Strachan's mother has had no further contact with her son and has thrown out all his belongings from her home.

Miss Farquharson said the victim had been well-known in the local community, describing her as "fit both in body and mind".

She had lived in her home for the previous 40 years, but was left so afraid after what happened that she moved out to stay with her daughter.

Miss Farquharson said the victim now "often expresses her wish to die".

Strachan's QC Herbert Kerrigan described the crime as "completely outrageous" in that a pensioner was attacked in the "sanctuary of her own home".

Mr Kerrigan also recalled a conversation with the rapist before the hearing.

Strachan was said to have stated: "No one deserves being put in that position where they feel worthless and dirty.

"I regret it and I feel terrible at being there in the first place. I am so sorry."