Teenager given community service for sexual offences with children

Sunday 21 August 2016

A 19-year-old who admitted to multiple sexual offences with two 13-year-old girls has been given a 240-hour community service order, plus 18-month probation order. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for two years and had a two-year restraining order imposed.

The defendant, who bowed his head throughout proceedings, was warned he would face jail if he did not fulfil the community and probation orders.

Om Friday the Royal Court heard the teenager committed the offences when he was 17 and 18 years old. 

He was described in court as “immature” for his age, and although he is now 19, his maturity level was assessed at “around 14 years of age.” 

The teenager, who has not been named by the Express, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault, two counts of gross indecency, three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, one count of improper use of a telecommunication system and one count of child sexual grooming. 

Attorney General Robert MacRae told the court the teenager met his first victim in January 2015. The girl, who was 13 at the time, had sexual relations with the defendant. 

In June 2015 the defendant started having sexual relations with another 13-year-old girl. 

The following month he was arrested and under police interview several months later he admitted the offences. He pleaded guilty to the multiple offences in the Royal Court in July. 

Mr MacRae said a probation report indicated that the teenager was at “medium or moderate risk of sexual re-conviction.” The Attorney General requested a non-custodial sentence for the defendant. 

Defending Advocate David Benest said: “We are dealing with a defendant who lacks maturity. Around 14 years of age would be a proper age to treat him rather than his actual age. People mature at different stages in their lives.”

Mr Benest said the defendant was hoping to attend Highlands College this September “to give him a chance to go to University.”

In sentencing, Commissioner Sir Michael Birt, said: “You were 17 when you met your first victim and you knew she was 13. What began as a friendship developed into a sexual relationship. Shortly after you started a friendship with a second victim, also aged 13 and you groomed her. 

“All the activities were fully consensual but the law must protect young girls and the responsibility of the man is to respect the law. You knew what the law was and had you been older we would have had no alternative but to imprison you, but you were aged 17 and 18 years at the time.

“It is clear you have much potential and there is no suggestion of any paedophile preferences. 

“If you do not do your community service willingly you will be brought back here and it is highly likely you will go inside. The same is true for the probation order. We hope you take advantage of the opportunities given and we hope Highlands College will accept you. We would think it a pity if what has happened prevented you from going to Highlands Collage. You are very lucky and what you did was wrong. We hope not to see you again before the courts.”