Man raped one day old baby, court told

A paedophile raped a baby boy when he was just one day old, and continued to abuse him for months.

"Despicable" Stuart Young, 37, abused a number of children over a five year period, a court heard, including a six-month-old girl.

The horrific offences were so severe the jury who convicted him this week has been excused from having to serve again for five years.

Young began raping the boy from the day after his birth and would continue to offend until he was three-months-old, the High Court in Edinburgh was told.

Sick Young also raped a girl, starting when she was aged just six-months-old until she was five-years-old.

Those crimes took place between November 2008 and December 2013 at various locations in Edinburgh.

His third victim was a girl aged nine-years-old, abused in July 2013, and again in Edinburgh.

Young was arrested and charged in January, 2014 after one of the girls revealed what had happened to her. The children cannot be named for legal reasons.

Young was convicted yesterday after a week long trial, taking just two hours to find him guilty of two counts of rape and another of sexual assault.

Paul Arthurson QC adjourned sentence until May 28 but told Young to expect a lengthy prison sentence.

Judge Arthurson described the offences as "truly depraved and despicable crimes", the BBC reports.

The crimes were so appalling that the jury have been excused from duty for five years.

Defence solicitor Ian Paterson told the court his client realised that he was going to be sent to prison, the BBC added.

Young was remanded in custody until sentencing and placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

After the hearing, Detective Inspector Douglas Moran said: "Thanks to the bravery of these two little girls in speaking up about the horrific abuse Young inflicted upon them, their physical ordeal is over and their tormentor is now facing a considerable prison sentence.

"The baby boy was given a voice so he too could be spared further suffering.

"However they, and their families, have had to live through Young's catalogue of offending again since he refused to accept responsibility for his actions and subjected them to a trial.

"No-one should live in fear at the hands of an abuser."