Latest Offenders Stirlingshire

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A GIFTED schoolboy musician walked scot-free from court despite admitting sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in classroom cupboard. Karl Henderson, 17, described as the most talented musician his school has ever seen, molested the girl at a Stirlingshire high school by touching her bottom and breasts, trying to kiss her and touching himself while holding her against him. Despite pleading guilty to the charge on indictment, Henderson, who was 16 at the time of the assault last year, told police that it was consensual. Sheriff John Mundy took what he called the exceptional step of handing Henderson an absolute discharge, saying he found it hard to determine what actually happened. The decision prompted an angry reaction from the family of the girl, who shouted, dont be molesting any more children as Henderson left the dock at Falkirk Sheriff Court. The incident occurred on January 14 2013 when Henderson and the girl went to a music classroom during one of their lessons. Police detained Henderson on January 16 where he said everything was consensual and denied holding her against her will. Forensic examination showed traces of his semen on her skirt. The girl told police that she had been having nightmares over the incident. Henderson, of Grahamshill Terrace, Fankerton, Denny, Stirlingshire, pleaded guilty to the charges. Gordon Addison, defending, said that despite the girl being 15, there was only six months between the pair in age. He said: No school in the local area will take him if he is placed on the sex offenders register. This young man is highly intelligent but his whole life will be disturbed unfairly. Society loses a very talented, very bright young man over a situation that happened in minutes between two teens in a high school cupboard. He has been described as the most talented musician the school has ever had. Sheriff Mundy told Henderson: Im going to take a highly unusual step in the circumstances, I think its an exceptional case. It is one that is brought on indictment which makes it more exceptional. Im going to give you an absolute discharge. Henderson was not placed on the sex offenders register.