Teen Rapist Gets Seven Years

Originally published by Sky News, August 1, 2002

A boy who raped a 17-year-old girl who later committed suicide has been sentenced to seven years.

The unnamed youth will go to jail for four years and will spend another three under supervision.

Lindsay Armstrong, who came from Ayrshire, killed herself after giving evidence in court against her attacker.

Her parents said she was distressed after being "torn to shreds" by the defence lawyer.

They have demanded changes in the way rape cases are handled in Scotland.

Humiliated

The teenager—who has not been named—raped Lindsay in a playground. He was 14 at the time.

Her family said her treatment in court contributed to her death as much as the rape itself.

Lindsay was forced to face her attacker in the courtroom.

She was also questioned by the boy's defence team about her sex life and asked to hold up her underwear.

The 17-year-old's father, Frank, said the whole experience had been designed to humiliate and degrade her.

Overdose

"It was done to look like she deserved it," he told Sky News.

He said she was "absolutely mortified" about the line of questioning in court.

Lindsay's mother found her daughter dead in bed three weeks after the case ended.

The teenager had taken an overdose of the drugs that she had been prescribed to help get her through the trial.

The Armstrong family now wants victims to be separated from the defendants in court in Scotland.

Her parents also want a line of questioning that has been agreed in advance with the trial judge.