Latest news with #CalumMacGregor
Scotsman
8 hours ago
- Scotsman
Army officer who violently raped a woman in her Edinburgh home has his prison sentence increased
An army officer who violently raped a woman in her home has had his prison sentence increased following a successful appeal by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Sign up to the daily Crime UK newsletter. All the latest crime news and trials from across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Calum MacGregor was jailed for four years and six months in February 2025 after previously being found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) asked the Appeal Court to consider imposing a longer custodial term due to the serious nature of the offence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The original sentence has now been quashed after the appeal was upheld by a panel of three judges. MacGregor will now serve six years and six months in custody. While sentence is rightfully the domain of the independent judiciary, the balance of justice is served by the Crown being allowed to appeal in limited circumstances. The Appeal Court has set a high test to be satisfied that this can happen. Calum MacGregor was found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh. The sentence must be unduly lenient, meaning it falls outside the range of sentences which the judge could reasonably have considered appropriate having taken account of all relevant factors. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Laura Buchan, Deputy Crown Agent, said: 'Prosecutors have a responsibility to consider appeals based upon undue leniency in sentencing. Such appeals are rare. 'Today's decision to increase Calum MacGregor's sentence for rape provides public reassurance that the impact of sexual offences on victims will be acknowledged by those in the criminal justice system." MacGregor, 30, met the victim on a dating app before going on to sexually assault and rape her in Edinburgh in December 2021. He was found guilty by a jury following three days of evidence. His name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
Soldier who raped woman he met on dating app has sentence increased
An army officer who raped a woman he met on a dating app has had his prison sentence increased following a Crown appeal. Calum MacGregor, 30, sexually assaulted and raped his victim in her home in December 2021. He was originally jailed for four-and-a-half years after being found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh earlier this year. However, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) appealed against the sentence on the basis it was 'unduly lenient' given the serious nature of the offence. COPFS asked the Appeal Court to consider imposing a longer custodial term. On Friday, it was announced that the appeal has been upheld by a panel of three judges at the Appeal Court and that MacGregor's original sentence has been quashed. The soldier will now serve six years and six months in custody. Laura Buchan, deputy crown agent, said: 'Prosecutors have a responsibility to consider appeals based upon undue leniency in sentencing. Such appeals are rare. 'Today's decision to increase Calum MacGregor's sentence for rape provides public reassurance that the impact of sexual offences on victims will be acknowledged by those in the criminal justice system.' COPFS explained that for an appeal to be upheld a sentence must be unduly lenient, meaning it falls outside the range of sentences a judge could 'reasonably' have considered appropriate, having taken all relevant factors into account. It added that while sentencing is 'rightfully' the domain of judges, the Crown is allowed to appeal in limited circumstances to ensure the 'balance of justice' is served. In their ruling, published on Friday, the Appeal Court judges said they were 'not convinced that the sentencing judge applied her mind to all relevant factors'. The ruling said: 'In all the circumstances, even allowing for mitigating circumstances, a sentence of imprisonment for four years and six months was unduly lenient. The judges added that they would 'impose a sentence of imprisonment for six years and six months. As before, sentence is backdated to January 30 2025'.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Soldier who raped woman he met on dating app has sentence increased
An army officer who raped a woman he met on a dating app has had his prison sentence increased following a Crown appeal. Calum MacGregor, 30, sexually assaulted and raped his victim in her home in December 2021. He was originally jailed for four-and-a-half years after being found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh earlier this year. However, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) appealed against the sentence on the basis it was 'unduly lenient' given the serious nature of the offence. COPFS asked the Appeal Court to consider imposing a longer custodial term. On Friday, it was announced that the appeal has been upheld by a panel of three judges at the Appeal Court and that MacGregor's original sentence has been quashed. The soldier will now serve six years and six months in custody. Laura Buchan, deputy crown agent, said: 'Prosecutors have a responsibility to consider appeals based upon undue leniency in sentencing. Such appeals are rare. 'Today's decision to increase Calum MacGregor's sentence for rape provides public reassurance that the impact of sexual offences on victims will be acknowledged by those in the criminal justice system.' COPFS explained that for an appeal to be upheld a sentence must be unduly lenient, meaning it falls outside the range of sentences a judge could 'reasonably' have considered appropriate, having taken all relevant factors into account. It added that while sentencing is 'rightfully' the domain of judges, the Crown is allowed to appeal in limited circumstances to ensure the 'balance of justice' is served. In their ruling, published on Friday, the Appeal Court judges said they were 'not convinced that the sentencing judge applied her mind to all relevant factors'. The ruling said: 'In all the circumstances, even allowing for mitigating circumstances, a sentence of imprisonment for four years and six months was unduly lenient. The judges added that they would 'impose a sentence of imprisonment for six years and six months. As before, sentence is backdated to January 30 2025'.
