Man Pleads Guilty to Raping Fourteen-Year-Old Girl in St Andrews Nando's

A man has pleaded guilty to raping a fourteen-year-old girl in the St Andrews Nando’s restaurant after lying about his age when the pair met online, the Glasgow High Court has heard. 

Then twenty-year-old Liam Burns told the girl he was eighteen when communicating with her online. After Burns suggested it, the two arranged to meet in person in March 2022 and went to the Nando's restaurant in St Andrews, according to The Courier. 

According to The Herald, Burns pressured the girl to go with him into a toilet cubicle against her will. He then ushered her inside, locked the door, exposed himself, and raped her, calling her degrading names throughout, such as “s**t” and “b***h”. The girl later said she felt "uncomfortable" and "panicked" during the assault. 

According to The Courier, the Court heard the incident ended when a waitress became suspicious about how long the pair had been away from their table and went looking for them. The staff member found them and the girl claimed she was “okay” at the time, but she later said she felt “distressed and humiliated” by what had happened. Prosecutor Graeme Jessop KC said she "did not want him to do these sexual things to her, but she felt she had no choice once in the cubicle."

A Nando's spokesperson told The Saint: "This was a terrible crime and our thoughts are with the victim and her family. We assisted the police with their enquiries at the time and, as legal proceedings are ongoing, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further.” 

The two remained in contact after the initial incident, and Burns persuaded the teenager to meet him again at another location in Fife. During that second encounter, he slapped her across the face, spat on her and made further “sexual advances,” where he inappropriately touched her and attempted to have sex with her, despite her pleas for him to stop, according to The Herald and The Courier.

The Court heard that Burns was later confronted by another person about his conduct towards the girl and admitted that he had known she was fourteen and that he had “raped” her. 

In 2023, Burns contacted the girl through Facebook and apologised for what he had done, according to The Herald. He wrote: “I am sorry for what I did to you. I took advantage of you and made you feel vulnerable when that was wrong for me to do.” 

Burns also admitted that he had lied about his age, writing: “In truth I was 20. It is disgusting what I [had] done,” according to The Courier. 

Burns pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to the rape and attempted rape of the teenager, as well as a further sexual offence involving another girl. The supplied reports do not give further details about that offence. The identities of both victims have not been disclosed.  

According to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, sentencing has been adjourned for reports and is due on Friday 23 October, 2026. 

The supplied Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service information identifies the case as HMA v Liam Burns, SCS/2025-034701, at the High Court in Glasgow.

If you have been affected by rape or sexual abuse, support is available through Rape Crisis Scotland's helpline on 08088 01 03 02, or through Rape Crisis England & Wales on 0808 500 222.  Advice and support on reporting sexual assault from the University can be found by visiting https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/sexual-misconduct/.

Photograph by Zara Slime