Latest Offenders Fife

Description

A predatory rapist has been jailed for 10 years for raping or sexually assaulting four women at homes across Fife.

Neil Ireland, 39, from Methil, was convicted of three offences of rape and three of sexual assault last month. He was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh.

He raped one woman while she was in bed with her baby daughter.

He committed his crimes between 2008 and 2015 in Cupar, Leven and Methil.

No remorse

A judge told him: "It was, in my opinion, correctly stated by the Crown at your trial that you were a predator who befriended and exploited vulnerable women by taking advantage of them sexually, not caring whether they consented to what you did to them."

Lord Uist said: "Moreover, it was clear to me you considered you were entitled to act as you did and you have shown no remorse or regret."

The judge said a background report prepared on Ireland revealed that he used denial, minimisation and blame and portrayed himself as the victim.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson said Ireland was a first offender who had demonstrated in the past that he had "an excellent work ethic".

He said Ireland intended to co-operate with the authorities while serving his prison sentence and would take part in offender programmes.

Ireland will be on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

Description

A young man who committed sex acts with two under-age boys was “driven by a sexual attraction to children”, a court heard.

Samuel McDonald – who admitted having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old and sexually assaulting a seven-year-old – was jailed for four and a half years at the High Court in Livingston.

Judge Lady Scott also imposed an extended sentence which means he will remain under supervision for two years after his release and his name will remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

The judge told McDonald, 21, from Lochgelly, Fife, that the licence conditions meant he would be returned to prison to serve the balance of his sentence if he reoffended.

Passing sentence, Lady Scott said McDonald had “groomed” the older child by communicating with him and buying him alcohol before making him take part in disgusting sex acts.

Lady Scott went on: “The second child was only seven years old. You were friends with his family and you grossly abused their trust.

“Your crimes are liable to leave your victims with long-term damage.

“The detailed background reports suggest you are driven by a sexual attraction to children. This course of conduct demonstrates this as does the information you volunteered.

“The report presents you at serious risk of sexual offending and I’m satisfied that, having regard to that reason, an extended sentence is necessary to protect the public from serious harm.”

She said she recognised that McDonald had learning difficulties and long-term Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) which made him act impulsively and made it difficult for him to form social relationships.

She added: “I take into account you will be vulnerable in a prison setting but you will get comprehensive help to address and resolve your conduct.”

The court heard earlier that accused had discussed online the “sexual activity” he had with the teenager.

The boy’s mother alerted the police after she found explicit Facebook messages between her son and the accused.

The boy later told police that ‘stuff had happened’ with an older person in a tunnel near Lochgelly.

He said McDonald had made a deal that he would give him an electronic cigarette if he carried out a sex act.

Michael Anderson QC, defending, said McDonald had had a “tragic start in life” and still suffered from the death his mother when he was aged five. His father had been “no support whatsoever” and he had been brought up by his grandparents.

He admitted: “I recognise that this is a very complex case.”

McDonald admitted committing the offences against the older boy inside a tunnel between between December 2014 and March 2015.

He also admitted sexually assaulting the primary age youngster in the garage at his home on an occasion between February 22 2015 and May 9 2015.

He was a first offender.

Description

A married father of two from Fife who dubbed himself Papa Smurf as he sent sexually explicit texts to a teenage girl has narrowly avoided a jail sentence.

David Kidd admitted sending the messages to a 15-year-old girl he called Smurfette in March last year. The court previously heard the messages described a variety of sex acts.

Kidd, of Dalgairn Crescent, Cupar, also arranged a secret sexual rendevous with the girl at Tarvit Hill in Cupar, although that meeting never took place as he was first reported to the police by the girls parents after they found the messages on her phone.

It later emerged the pair had exchanged numbers for a month after meeting while the girl was on a family outing in Perthshire.

Kidds defence solicitor said the 36-year-old had lost his job of 14 years as a result of the offence.

Addressing Kidd, Sheriff Charles Macnair said: You entered into conversations by text with the complainer and while the complainer may have been involved as well, consensual is not the appropriate phrase.

A child of that age is not deemed to be mature enough to give consent. You took advantage of her feelings and the way she was behaving. There had been an agreement to meet and have sexual contact. That did not take place because of the interview with the complainer.

I take into account the fact there was no sexual contact however this is a very serious matter and I have just reached the conclusion to deal with this by way of a lengthy supervision order as the public will be less at risk.

Sheriff Macnair sentenced Kidd to a three-year supervision order, on the condition that he attends a sex offender programme, and ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was placed on the sexual offences protection order and the sex offenders register, both for 10 years.

In addition, Kidd was told he must not communicate with children without the permission of the childs parents or guardian who must be informed of his conviction and that he must also, whenever asked by a police constable, surrender his mobile phone or any internet-enabled device.