A transgender butcher has pleaded guilty to kidnapping a schoolgirl while dressed as a woman, before holding her hostage and sexually abusing her while telling her she was his ‘new family’.
Andrew Miller, who has also been known as Amy George, lured the child into his Jaguar car while in female clothing, Edinburgh’s High Court heard.
He then took her back to his home in the Scottish Borders, trapped her in his bedroom and repeatedly sexually assaulted her in a horrific 27-hour ordeal.
The girl only managed to escape by grabbing Miller’s landline phone when he fell asleep and calling 999 for help, the court was told.
Miller, 53, who is currently transitioning and was addressed as a male by the court, appeared via video link from HMP Edinburgh – Scotland’s most notorious men’s prison, where transgender rapist Isla Bryson was jailed – to plead guilty today.
Andrew Miller, who has also been known as Amy George, lured the girl into his Jaguar car while in female clothing, Edinburgh’s High Court heard
He then took her back to his home in the Scottish Borders, trapped her in his bedroom and repeatedly sexually assaulted her in a horrific 27-hour ordeal
During the hearing, Miller was dressed in male clothing, wearing a maroon Scottish Prison Service sweater, with a short crew cut style haircut, and sat impassively as the court was told of his crimes.
The offences included abduction, sexual assault, possession of indecent images of children and intentionally causing a child under the age of 13 to look at a sexual image.
Lord Arthurson told Miller his offences represented ‘abhorrent crimes’ of the utmost ‘deviance and depravity’ and were ‘the realisation of every parent’s worst nightmare’.
It comes just months after the case of Isla Bryson – the serial sex attacker, once known as Adam Graham, who decided to identify as a woman after being accused of rape – sparked a public outcry.
The infamous case exposed a flaw at the heart of Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP policy, which would allow anyone over 16 to ‘self-identify’ as the opposite sex without needing a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
And although Bryson – who was jailed for eight years – was later transferred from a female to a male prison for assessment, Ms Sturgeon refused to back down on her party’s policy, which set the Scottish government on a collision course with Westminster.
Prosecuting at Edinburgh’s High Court today, advocate depute Lorraine Glancy KC told how in February this year Miller had offered the girl a lift home because she ‘looked freezing’.
Chilling footage of Miller’s Jaguar prowling the streets was shown in court and released by prosecutors today.
As the car drove past the area of her home, the child reminded Miller that that was where her house was, but he insisted he needed to pop home to drop something off and he would return her home thereafter.
He took her to his address, where he subjected her to repeated sexual assaults over the next 27 hours.
The girl repeatedly asked to be allowed to go home, but Miller insisted she needed to warm up first and later told her he would return her in the morning.
She complied with his demands as she didn’t want to make him ‘mad’, fearing each attack would get ‘worse’.
Miller then told her that he intended to keep her for a week, but on another occasion told her he wouldn’t let her leave as she was his ‘new family’.
Miller, pictured under a blanket, is led from Selkirk Sheriff Court following an earlier hearing
The child attempted to escape from the property in the Scottish Borders the following evening, but the door was locked.
She was then able to call police on the property’s landline telephone, and officers traced her location.
Police attended the property and arrested Miller, and the child was taken to a nearby hospital to be medically examined.
Ms Glancy said: ‘On the second night, the accused had fallen asleep in the bed beside the child when she knocked over a glass of water to see if it would rouse him – it did not.
‘She then turned on the bedroom light to see if that would disturb the accused – it did not.
‘She then attempted to escape the locus but was unable to open the front door which was locked with a key which had been removed.
‘She did, however, find the landline phone which she used to call 999.
‘The 999 call was recorded. The child’s obvious fear and distress is palpable as she describes to the operator what has happened to her and her concern to be located.
‘Her relief upon hearing the police at the door to rescue her is obvious.
‘She remained in the utility room until police arrived to rescue her and arrest the accused.’
Ms Glancy told the court that Miller was a butcher who had his own business locally.
She said: ‘It is understood that the accused identifies as a transgender female named ‘Amy George’ and reports that he is in the process of transitioning to a female. At the time of his arrest, he was presenting as Amy.
‘However, prior to interview, he confirmed he wished to be addressed as Andrew Miller using ‘he’ pronouns – for simplicity.’
The court heard how the little girl was walking along a road on February 5 having earlier met with friends, when Miller stopped his Jaguar car and offered her a lift.
The court heard he was dressed as a female, and she considered him to be ‘non-threatening’ so she accepted his offer of a lift home.
Ms Glancy said: ‘The ‘lady’ said her name was Amy George and asked if she was ok.
‘The victim stated she was cold, ‘Amy’ offered her a lift and the child entered the passenger side of the car.
‘In the car the accused asked the victim how her day had been, and they chatted.
‘As the vehicle drove past the area of her home, the child reminded the accused that that was where her house was, but the accused stated that he needed to pop home to drop something off and he would return her home thereafter.’
The child only managed to escape and call 999 for help after Miller fell asleep, the court was told
He took her to his home where he confined in his bedroom and repeatedly sexually assaulted her.
Describing the arrest, Ms Glancy said: ‘The accused was wearing tights, female pants and a bra containing one silicone breast – the other became dislodged during the struggle and was later recovered from the bedroom floor.
‘The accused’s fingernails and toenails were painted red.’
Ms Glancy said Miller then made a statement to the police describing what had happened.
Miller claimed that the girl was freezing when he had seen her and that he didn’t abduct her.
He said he had been watching rugby and he gave her a lift as it was a ‘motherly thing’ to do.
He told police she watched Finding Nemo and King Kong during the time she was with him.
He added: ‘I was trying to be nice. I put her in bed with me to warm up.
‘I don’t know why I did it, it’s just one of these things. There are a hundred things I should have done. I should have phoned the police.
‘I didn’t even think of her age. I panicked and thought what the people would think about me having a child in my bed.
‘She asked to go home, and I said that was fine, but I didn’t know how to handle it. I told her to have a shower and gave her wipes.
‘I should never have gotten into this situation. I only asked if she was okay as she looked freezing. I was never inappropriate with in any way except for maybe sleeping with her but that was in a motherly way. I did enjoy her being here though.’
The court heard that police searched computers belonging to Miller and found that he had downloaded child pornography.
Ms Glancy said: ‘Other sexually explicit material was recovered showing the user not only to have a predilection for children but also stockings and feet.
‘Searches recovered numerous items of female children and teenagers’ underwear.’
Miller, 53, who is currently transitioning and was addressed as a male by the court, appeared via video link to plead guilty today
The court heard that the little girl told police she had been sexually abused. Officers found enough evidence to corroborate her story and Miller was charged with the offences to which he pleaded guilty to.
Defence advocate Victoria Dow told Lord Arthurson today that she had nothing to say at this point in time and would make submissions at a hearing later this year.
She added: ‘I will reserve my mitigation untll the reports are fully prepared.’
Lord Arthurson deferred sentence on Miller to obtain reports about whether he meets the criteria for an order for lifelong restriction.
Such a sentence is an effective life sentence and offenders are released once the parole board are satisfied they no longer pose a threat to public safety.
They then spend the rest of their lives being closely monitored by the authorities.
Miller was remanded and will next appear at the High Court on August 15.
