Rapist who used computer gaming as cover is jailed for eight years

A rapist who used the pretence of playing games on a console to spend time with his victim has been jailed for more than eight years.

Kevin Kenny, 39, formerly of Annan, first sexually assaulted the girl when she was aged 13.

He had previously admitted sexually assaulting and raping her at addresses in Dumfriesshire between October 2018 and January 2020.

He was jailed for eight years and two months at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Prosecutor John McElroy KC said: “Kenny would use the pretence of playing X-Box with the girl to avoid suspicion of being with her.”

However, in January 2020 she revealed to friends what had happened.

Her attacker also admitted indecently touching a four-year-old girl between August 2000 and April 2001 and a further sexual offence in 2018 involving a young boy.

Defence counsel Wendy Culross told the High Court in Edinburgh that Kenny had been assessed as posing a medium or moderate level of risk.

She said: “He understands he has pled guilty to very serious offences and that there is an inevitable consequence for that.

“He has been constantly in employment for most of his life until diagnosed with depression around 2017.”

She added that he continued to have “significant mental health issues”.

In addition to his jail term, Lord Stuart ordered Kenny should be under supervision for two years following his release.

He told him that if he failed to comply with licence conditions during that period it could be revoked and he could be returned to prison.

He also placed him on the sex offenders register indefinitely.