A leading UK forensic psychologist graded a man convicted of being part of a child abuse ring “medium risk”, a court has heard.
Iain Owens was found guilty in 2023 of being part of a paedophile ring which abused three children in a Glasgow drugs den where heroin and cocaine were used, following a trial which heard allegations of Satanic rituals and dog killing.
The 46-year-old will be sentenced for 18 charges including gang rape and attempted murder, along with six co-accused, at the High Court in Glasgow later this month.
(Top L to R) Barry Watson, Elaine Lanney and Iain Owens (Bottom L to R) John Clark, Paul Brannan and Scott Forbes, who were all convicted of a string of sex crimes towards children in a Glasgow drugs den (Police Scotland/PA)
The Satanic ritual allegations were dropped by the prosecution, and a jury cleared all the accused of the dog killing charge.
Sentence has been delayed due to a risk assessment for an Order for Lifelong Restriction; however, Owens challenged a report, carried out by Professor David Cooke, which branded him “high risk” and deemed him to be a psychopathic sadist.
On Tuesday, the same court heard that a forensic psychologist who worked as a consultant at Rampton Hospital – the high security unit where Soham murderer Ian Huntley was initially remanded – deemed Owens “medium risk” and not a psychopath.
Dr Peter Pratt travelled from the Midlands to meet Owens on three occasions and issued a “statement of concern” regarding compliance by the Risk Management Authority, the evidential hearing was told.
In an executive summary, Dr Pratt wrote: “I have interviewed Iain Owens for sufficient time and utilised standardised assessment.
“I have reviewed standards and guidelines of the Risk Management Authority and conclude his risk as medium. I note that Professor Cooke does not refer to the most recent provision.”
Dr Pratt told the court he had assessed “thousands” of sex offenders over 50 years and was appointed to the Parole Board by the Home Office, and trained magistrates in England as well as serving as an expert witness and teaching at three universities.
In a report, he described Owens’ demeanour at HMP Dumfries as “keen to engage” and added: “At no time did I have the sense he was trying to be manipulative or to impression-manage,” the court heard.
The report went on: “He insists he only had two sexual relationships, and two drunken rolls, he denied the use of porn. He added that police checked all his phones and tablets.”
The report said it was “striking that Iain Owens has committed such a variety of sexual violence on children and also been found guilty of forcing a child to abuse another child”, and “it is of extreme importance that Iain Owens denies any responsibility and insists the children’s evidence was actively sought and coached”, and described the crimes as “escalation”, the court heard.
It added: “There is relatively little information on his lifestyle outside of drug abuse. It seems the main stress he experienced was finding money to pay for class A drugs.”
The court heard that in 2001 Owens had been consuming three or four bags of heroin a day, and showed “little regard for the consequences” of the convictions, according to the report.
Giving evidence, Dr Pratt said he had been appointed to carry out an assessment of Owens, but also to “critique” a report by Professor Cooke – but disputed that Owens was a psychopath, according to the model of Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality.
Dr Pratt said: “It’s not for me to question the process of the court in finding the facts of the matter.”
People with psychopathic personality disorder are “detached, uncommitted and uncaring”, the court heard.
Professor Cooke earlier told the court that the diagnoses of paedophilia and sadism was “based on his convictions”.
Defending, Gary Allan KC said: “Dr Pratt goes on to say ‘in my respectful opinion, Owens has not demonstrated psychopathic behaviour while on bail and in the prison estate’.”
The hearing, before Judge Lord Beckett, continues.