A Dumfries man who raped three schoolgirls has been released from prison after serving a six-year sentence. Liam Hanratty attacked three girls – aged 11, 13 and 16 – after grooming them online.
The mum of one of Hanratty’s victims said: “He got six years but my daughter got a life sentence. I want to let parents of other young girls know that he is out and to make them aware of who he is, what he’s done and not to touch him with a 10 foot barge pole.”
Hanratty was 16 when he struck in Dumfries between January and August 2016. Two of the attacks happened in a house in the town and another in a shed.
Hanratty linked up with his oldest victim through Facebook and Snapchat. He was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow the following year but couldn’t be named at the time because he was under 18. Defence counsel Louise Arrol said Hanratty had had “an extremely difficult childhood” and had been brought up “without boundaries”.
Judge Lord Arthurson said Hanratty – whose previous convictions include assault and possession of a knife – had “expressed no empathy” for his victims and told him he’d be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
The mum, who asked not to be named, said she is “disgusted” at Hanratty’s release and the fact none of his victims know where he is. She added: “My daughter suffers from PTSD and has flashbacks. She has difficulties trusting people and self harms because of what he’s done. People in Dumfries and Galloway need to know that he’s out. It’s sickening.
“Rape is still a taboo subject. It needs to be spoken about and the aftermath of it. People don’t want to step forward because of the stigma surrounding it.”
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