Latest Offenders Lanarkshire

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A pervert told who a horrified mother he "hated paedos but had become one" after confessing to molesting her daughter has been jailed for two years.

Calum Adams, 25, was caught after his nine-year-old victim told her mum he had been repeatedly assaulting her and texting her vile messages.

The girl bravely showed her mother sickening messages he had sent her.

Adams, of East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, first met the girl, who can't be named for legal reasons, when she was aged just four.

However, as time passed he subjected her to numerous sexual assaults.

The terrified victim kept quiet about Adams' twisted behaviour before bravely telling her mum who demanded an explanation.

He sent a text saying: "I hate paedos and now I have become one, I hate myself because of it."

He added "I never meant to do it ` I feel sick" and when he realised the police had been called he wrote "I shouldn't be alive, I am vile, I am a monster."

Adams admitted sexually assaulting the girl between August and October last year and has been jailed at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

He also confessed to intentionally sending his victim messages of a sexual nature.

Sheriff Thomas Millar ordered him to be kept on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

Depute fiscal Michael Macintosh said: "He began texting her to ask her to let him touch her saying that she would like it.

"She showed them to her mother who confronted the accused and he made admissions to both touching the complainer and sending the messages and the matter was reported to the police.

"The messages included phrases such as 'trust me you would love it'."

The court heard Adams contacted the girl's mother by text after she confronted him.

Mr Macintosh added: "He said 'I don't blame you for feeling this way and I will go to therapy'.

"The accused added, 'I don't blame you for hating me, I hate paedos and now I have become one, I hate myself because of it'.

Sandy Morrison, defending, said: "It is clear he co-operated fully and there are no matters outstanding and he has no record.

"As a result of these offences, an address will not be provided for him by his family given the nature of the offending.

"These matters are extremely serious and a period of custody will be justifiable although he has been remanded since being arrested in October.

"He is deemed a low risk of re-offending in the future."

Warped Adams has now been disowned by his family.

heriff Millar said: "It is clear from the report that you bitterly regret getting involved in this but you realise the effect these charges can have on those involved.

"You will start to get some assistance while in custody and it will be up to you to see if you still think that the help is necessary when you are released.

"You have recognised the serious nature of the offences and are aware of the consequences of what has to happen to you."

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A SEXUAL predator who attacked a sleeping woman has been jailed for 18 months.

Ross Laing, 21, of Maxwell Place, Coatbridge, carried out the sickening assault on the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as she slept on August 15 last year.

Following a trial at Airdrie Sheriff Court, a jury took just over an hour to find Laing guilty by a majority verdict of the attack on the woman, who had to relive her ordeal by giving evidence.

Laing was convicted of sexually penetrating the woman and placing his hand under her clothing while she was asleep, causing her to awaken.

The jury then heard under questioning from Prosecutor Julie OHara how Laing grabbed the woman by the shoulder and pulled her on to her back, penetrating her with his fingers, then chased her and pushed her towards the bed and attempted to prevent her from leaving the room.

The jury acquitted Laing of a second sexual charge by a majority verdict, finding the case against him not proven.

He had been charged with an offence, also alleged to have happened at his home on August 15.

It had been claimed he sexually assaulted another woman by seizing her by the arms, pulling her down on to his bed and repeatedly attempting to lie on top of her, repeatedly attempting to kiss her and placing his hand under her bra. It was also claimed he touched her breasts, pushed up her skirt, and placed his hand inside her underwear and touched her against her will.

Sheriff Frank Pieri told Laing that as well as being jailed for 18 months he has also been placed on the sex offenders register.

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A SEXUAL predator has been caged for six years for grooming two under-age girls.

Brandon Watson, from Blantyre, has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register after pleading guilty to three serious sexual assaults, including the statutory rape of two underage girls, grooming offences and the possession of indecent images of children.

The 20-year-old was arrested by officers from Hamilton Police Office following an extensive and detailed investigation which was initiated by one of the girls involved.

Detective Inspector David Tassie, who was the senior investigating officer, said: Thanks to one brave girl who raised the alarm via a social networking site, this sexual predator has been brought to justice. Her actions alerted the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, who in turn contacted Strathclyde Police.

A police investigation was immediately launched with a major incident room and specialist inquiry team being established.

This included a team of detectives, officers from the computer crime unit and specially trained sexual offences liaison officers.

It quickly became apparent to the inquiry team that Watson had targeted other girls, aged between the ages of 12 and 15 years.

They were identified as having been groomed by him into committing various sexual acts, both in person and online.

As part of the investigation, officers commissioned the expertise of forensic psychologist Dr Joe Sullivan, who compiled a report explaining the manipulation tactics typically used by offenders such as Watson. This was instrumental in achieving a conviction.

The disturbing aspect of this inquiry is that these girls were groomed online from the safety of their own home.

Unfortunately, there are sexual predators, like Watson, who use the internet to commit crime and I cannot stress enough how important it is for parents and guardians of children to know what it is they are doing online and who they are speaking to. Watson is off our streets and out of harms way for now. However, we cannot, and should not be, complacent about this type of behaviour.

We will continue to work with all organisations sharing intelligence and information in our efforts to stop children becoming online victims of crime.

Jennifer Harrower, District Procurator Fiscal for Hamilton, said: This was a highly complex investigation into a prolific sex offender with a predatory approach to young girls, which involved extremely close working between specialist units of both police and prosecutors.

The scale of the inquiry grew significantly in size as more details about the accused's offending come to light.

Police and prosecutors then worked swiftly to identify the crucial computer evidence, in order not only to bring the accused to court but to identify further crimes and complainers.

Those of us in the justice system are becoming more and more experienced at identifying the perpetrators of such crimes and bringing them to justice, through the use of specialist units and expert advisors.

A spokesperson for CEOP said All too often, children and young people do not understand, or indeed realise, the risks they may face when they are online.

Talking to strangers or uploading photos for others to see can seem like a good idea at the time, but the consequences of these actions can cause long lasting issues.

The sentencing shows that through education and raising awareness of such risks, young people can be empowered to make life changing decisions.

CEOPs Thinkuknow education programme provides advice and guidance on a range of issues to both young people and also their parents and I would encourage people to visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk to find out more.