Man who raped child in West Lothian wood after travelling from Durham jailed for seven years

Wayne Phillipson was found guilty of attacking the child, who was under the age of 13, following a trial at the High Court in Livingston in August 2024.

The 48-year-old, from Durham, sent the girl a series of sexual, indecent and obscene messages over a three-day period in September 2021. He then travelled from his home to the West Lothian area that same month after arranging to meet the child.

Phillipson subjected his victim to a violent sexual assault and rape in woodland before the youngster managed to escape. Phillipson was located by police a short time later.

Wayne Phillipson travelled from Durham to West Lothian, where he raped a child | Police Scotland

On February 21, at the High Court in Glasgow, Phillipson was ordered to serve a minimum of seven years in custody. His name has also been added to the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

At the end of the trial, Phillipson also pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching bail conditions.

Katrina Parkes, Scotland’s Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, said: “Wayne Phillipson is a predatory individual who used social media to target this young child in a planned course of action.

Wayne Phillipson was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow | John Devlin/NationalWorld

“This type of offending has no place in Scotland and victims can be assured that we are committed to the effective prosecution of such crimes.

“We hope this conviction brings some comfort and I would urge anyone with information or knowledge of offending of this kind to come forward and report it as soon as they can.

“You will be listened to and supported as we seek to secure justice using all the tools at our disposal.”