A paedophile who abducted a child and abused her for 27 hours will have a bid to reduce his “excessive” sentence considered amid claims it put “too much weight” on his transgender identity, a court has heard.Andrew Miller, 53, who also uses the name Amy George, was dressed as a woman when he offered the primary school-aged child – whom he had never seen before – a lift in February 2023.
He took the girl back to his house in the Scottish Borders and subjected her to repeated attacks, which a judge described as “every parent’s worst nightmare”.Miller was handed a 28-year extended sentence last October, comprising 20 years behind bars and a further eight on licence under supervision in the community.
He pleaded guilty to charges of abduction, sexual assault, watching pornography in the presence of the child under the age of 13, and possessing 242 indecent images of children in May 2023.Appeal judges will consider if the 20-year custodial sentence was “excessive” and placed “too much weight” on his transgender identity, with an “insufficient discount” for an early guilty plea.
The appeal court in Edinburgh on Friday heard that Miller had lived as a woman for six years prior to the offence, and is now supporting other trans prisoners.Defence advocate Victoria Dow said that after being jailed, Miller was moved to an enhanced unit in Ratho prison, Edinburgh, as he was “trusted”, and “wants to understand why he committed the offence”.Ms Dow said: “The 28-year sentence was excessive having regard to the overall circumstances.