Grangemouth sex offender caught in company of girl (13)

Stephen Craig (23), 18 Bankhill Court, Grangemouth, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court yesterday having admitted the bail breaches he committed at locations in Camelon and Stirling between February 22 and February 28, 2019.

Craig His bail conditions state he must no have any contact with anyone under the age of 16 without the supervision of someone over the age of 21.

Rachel Wallace, procurator fiscal depute, said: “The accused was in the company of a girl aged 13 and other people aged 16 to 17. He was in the company of the girl for three hours.

"Later that night he went back to stay at a house where the 13-year-old girl was staying, but she was supervised by an adult over 21.”

On other occasions Craig, who is on the sex offenders register, was also in the company of a 15-year-old and attempted to Snapchat with a 14-year-old – sending her a picture of a wall and asking her to “keep a streak going”.

The court heard Craig had been found guilty of sexual offences at the high court and as a result had been placed on a community payback order for two years and the sex offenders register for the same period.

It was stated the bail breaches happened when Craig, who was 21 at the time, was with a larger group of people and that he did not know the age of the girls. He was said to have a developmental delay, which meant he was operating four or five years behind his chronological age.

The court heard Craig was “quite an immature young man” at the time and he had since “grown up a lot”.

Sheriff Derek Livingston said: “This is a matter where I could easily impose a custodial sentence.”

However, he placed Craig on a restriction of liberty order meaning he has to stay in his home between 7pm and 7am for the next four months.