A former care worker who raped a girl from a children’s home where he was a manager has been jailed for nine and a half years.
Denis Donnell, 47, repeatedly targeted the vulnerable teenager, who has been left severely affected by the abuse.
He was sentenced today at the High Court in Glasgow after being found guilty at an earlier trial in Paisley of four charges, including rape.
Donnell was a care manager at the home in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, when the offences took place between December 2022 and February 2023.
Judge Sheena Fraser told him: “You were in a position of trust because of your employment at the care home at which the girl was placed.
“You knew how young and vulnerable she was – but yet you still targeted her.
“She became isolated and dependent on you. The impact on her has been significant and long lasting.
“Given your occupation, you must have known that harm would result from this behaviour.”
The offences happened at various locations in Renfrewshire and Ayrshire and included Donnell groping the girl, pushing, grabbing and biting her. He also sent her explicit photographs on social media.
He first appeared in court in February 2023, when he was banned from going near the victim, but continued to contact her and tried to approach her. He was later remanded in custody during his trial.
The court heard today that, in a pre-sentencing report, Donnell continued to deny raping the child but accepted he now understood there had been “no consent”.
Defence lawyer Allan MacLeod said Donnell was “thoroughly ashamed” and wished he “could turn the clock back”.
Donnell has been placed on the sex offenders register and banned indefinitely from contacting or approaching the girl.