11 on trial accused of being involved in child sex and witchcraft ring

The seven men and four women face an indictment listing a total of 32 charges at the High Court in Glasgow.

The accusations involve four children said to have occurred in the city between April 2012 and October 2020.

They include claims the youngsters were raped at different times while some of the group did "clap, cheer and verbally encourage" as well as video record what was happening.

One of the youngsters was said to have been shut in a microwave during an attempt to kill them.

It is also alleged two of the children were made to take part in "seances" leading them to believe they could see "spirits and demons".

Iain Owens, 45, Elaine Lannery, 39, Lesley Williams, 41, Paul Brannan, 41, Marianne Gallagher, 38, Scott Forbes, 50, Barry Watson, 47, Mark Carr, 50, Richard Gachagan, 45, Leona Laing, 51, and John Clark, 47, deny the accusations they face.

Owens and Lannery first face a charge that features a claim they got a child to "courier controlled drugs" on their behalf.

It is then said Owens, Lannery, Williams, Brannan, Laing, Gallagher and Watson assaulted a child to the danger of her life.

This included putting a black plastic bag over their head affecting their breathing.

The next charge states Owens and Lannery assaulted another child.

Owens, Lannery, Williams, Brannan and Clark are then accused of the attempted murder of a second child.

This charge states they were made to "act like a dog" and eat pet food.

It also said the group did chase the child while wearing a devil mask.

They were also allegedly hung by their clothing from a nail on the wall.

The murder bid charge later claims the child was pushed into and trapped inside a microwave, an oven, a fridge freezer and various cupboards.

Owens and Lannery are then accused of holding one of the children under water in a bath.

Prosecutors state the pair were then "threatening and abusive" to the children.

All 11 are next said to have got two children to take part in "seances (and) use a Ouija board...to call on spirits and demons".

They also allegedly got the children involved in "witchcraft" leading them to believe that they themselves had "metamorphosed into animals".

The 11 are then accused of being involved in the killing of dogs while getting two of the youngsters to take part.

Owens alone faces a charge of raping one child including with Watson, Brannan, Clark and Forbes.

Owens and Lannery go on to be accused of a sex abuse charge.

Owens is next charged with raping one of the children.

The 11 - along with a woman now deceased - were then allegedly involved in the rape of a child.

It is claimed they got them to take drink and illicit drugs.

The charge states while they were being sexually assaulted Lannery, Williams, Laing Gallagher and the other woman did "clap, cheer and verbally encourage" the alleged crime, which was also video recorded.

Forbes alone next faces an indecent images accusation.

Owens faces a further sex offence before him and Lannery are accused of abusing one of the children.

Owens and Watson allegedly got a child to take part in "sexual activity".

Owens and Lannery are then accused of raping the same child.

A further charge claims all 11 - along with two others now dead - also abused them with the men this time and were said to have "cheered" while it was going on.

Owens and Brannan are then accused of raping the child.

Prosecutors also claim the child was made to watch footage of a youngster being abused.

Lannery is next said to have molested one child.

The group - along with others deceased - are accused of raping the same child which included them being held down and restrained.

Two children were ordered into a bedroom and the door blocked while this was allegedly happening.

One child was also said to have been made to "operate a camera and create video footage" of some of the abuse.

Owens next faces a threats charge while him and Lannery are then accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Prosecutors finally list a number of drugs charges involving some or all of the group. These date between 2010 and 2020.

The 11 come from the Glasgow area as well as East and West Dunbartonshire.

Lord Beckett told jurors the trial could last at least five and a half weeks.