The mother of a teenager who took her own life after her father sexually abused her has been left 'disgusted' after learning he is up for parole less than a year after daughter's death.
Megan Reid, from Livingston in West Lothian, was just 17 years old when she died on April 5, 2022. Two years earlier, in 2019, her dad Joseph McGinn was convicted of sexually assaulting her.
Megan's mum, Gemma Mckeown, previously told the Record how McGinn's vile abuse left Megan so 'broken' that she was never able to come to terms with what she had been through.
Ten months on from losing Megan, Gemma, 34, has been left shocked to learn that McGinn is up for automatic parole in early February after she was contacted by another one of his victims.
Gemma told the Record: "I feel absolutely disgusted. I'm angry, I'm sad and I feel let down. I've been through so much hell with him. My daughter took her own life because of him.
"I'm scared for when he gets out. I'm worried about what he might do."
McGinn's vile abuse of Megan began in 2008, when she was just four years old. But it wasn't until Megan was 13, that she finally revealed the awful truth to her mum, on Mother's Day 2018.
He was found guilty of sexually assaulting Megan at Glasgow High Court on 17 October 2019 and sentenced to 10 years.
He is supposed to be serving seven years in prison for sentences running concurrently and consecutively, but is now up for automatic parole after less than four years.
Gemma, who described Megan as a "bright, bubbly and intelligent" child who was her mum's "best pal", added that she felt 'failed' by the justice system.
She said: "Him getting out basically shows me that it doesn't matter what perpetrators do to people that have been sexually abused.
"I shouldn't be hearing through a third party about him being up for parole. I should have a right to know what is happening. It feels like Meghan's life meant nothing. I feel failed by the system."
Tragic Megan begged her mum not to blame herself for the abuse she suffered in her final words, penned in a heartbreaking suicide note.
Gemma said: "Megan had so much to live for and more support than she could ever have imagined. I always wanted her to be open about her mental health and told her we could get through it together. Sadly it wasn't enough but I want to help prevent other people from going through the same as her.
"My advice is that you're never alone, please always speak up, go to someone and someone will listen."
Gemma has now started a peer support group called Mog's World as a way to harness her grief and raise awareness for suicide prevention, which has attracted 200 members in just one month.
Gemma added: "I've been working so hard to raise awareness since Megan's death. Mog's World gives people a chance to speak about how they have been affected by suicide.
"We're trying to build a community for people in grief, and it's working.
"I'm broken, but I'm trying to make a difference and to bring some positivity back into my life."
The Parole Board for Scotland say they cannot comment on individual cases.
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