Man who raped nine-year-old girl in Fife jailed

At the High Court in Edinburgh today (Thursday) Steven Hanlon was sentenced to eight years in prison for a number of attacks on a nine-year-old girl in the Rosyth and Kelty areas.

The offences all took place over a 16-month period and were subsequently reported to Police Scotland in August 2015.

Officers from Fife’s Child Abuse Investigations Unit conducted a robust investigation and Hanlon was subsequently charged on November 18, 2015.

He pled guilty at Glasgow High Court on Tuesday, May 26.

Detective Inspector June Peebles from the Child Abuse Investigations Unit said: “Steven Hanlon subjected a young girl to horrific abuse over a prolonged period and as a result of the evidence gathered against him by Police Scotland he will now spend several years in prison.

“I would like to take this opportunity to praise his victim for her maturity in courage when assisting us with our investigation. This played a key role in ensuring a conviction against Hanlon.

“The public can rest assured that whenever sexual offences are reported to us they will be investigated professionally and robustly to bring those responsible to justice.

“Anyone wishing to report a crime of this nature can do so by contacting Police Scotland on 101 or by making an anonymous call to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”