Rapist Sean Hogg who walked free after sex attacks on girl, 13, launches fight against conviction
A MAN who was spared a prison sentence for raping a 13-year-old girl is to appeal against his conviction.
The case of Sean Hogg sparked anger when he was deemed too young to be jailed despite being found guilty of attacking the teenager.
New sentencing guidelines for under 25s meant he was not sent to prison and instead given 270 hours of unpaid work.
Critics, including Harry Potter author JK Rowling, said it was appalling that anyone found guilty of rape should escape a prison sentence.
Hogg was 17 when he attacked the young victim in Dalkeith Country Park in Midlothian on a number of occasions in 2018.
The 21-year-old, of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, has now instructed his legal team to challenge his conviction.
His appeal bid was lodged at the High Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh and a hearing will take place at a later date.
Hogg was sentenced earlier this month at the High Court in Glasgow after being found guilty of rape.
Judge Lord Lake said he had to take Hogg's age into account. As well as the community work, Hogg was placed under supervision and put on the sex offenders register.
His victim, who is anonymous to protect her identity, spoke out earlier this week about how the rape and the subsequent sentence has affected her.
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In a statement, she said she was diagnosed with PTSD, suffered from panic attacks and self-harmed on a daily basis following the attacks.
The teenager, now 18, said CCTV was fitted in her home so she could see who was coming into her street and she would not leave the house without one of her grandparents.
She has suffered from anxiety and nightmares and has had relationship problems.
She said: "The day my grandmother told me Sean Hogg had been found guilty of rape I thought there may be a chance of being happy again. I knew he was going to go to jail.
"I felt glad I reported it as I felt he needed to pay for what he had done.
"Why is it ok to rape anyone and not go to jail? Why was he allowed to get on with his life when he's clearly ruined mine? Did the judge not bother reading the ordeal I had suffered?
"Now it makes me think why did I even bother reporting the rape in the first place. Nothing happened.
"My grandparents felt they had let me down but they didn't. It was the judge that let me down.
"I did not get justice, the system failed me, the judge failed me, he didn't protect me. I had done nothing wrong and yet he is a free man. You let him go but gave me, the victim, a life sentence."
The teenager's family have urged the Crown Office to appeal the sentence imposed on Hogg on the grounds that it is "unduly lenient".
First Minister Humza Yousaf has said he understands the concerns which have been expressed about the case, but stressed that sentencing was a matter for the judiciary.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service said: "We have received intimation of intention to appeal against conviction."
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A spokesperson for the Crown Office said: "The Crown is currently considering whether there are grounds for lodging an appeal against this sentence."
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