Sheriff vows teen sex predator will get life if he offends again

A sheriff branded a teenage sex offender a 'predator' and warned him he would recommend a life sentence if he ever took advantage of an underage girl again.

Grant Lowrie (18), 12 Mudale Court, Hallglen, was sentenced to eight months in prison, but Sheriff Craig Caldwell said he wished his sentencing powers were greater so he could send the sex offender away for longer.

After he delivered his sentence, Sheriff Caldwell warned Lowrie he would see to it he would be send down for life if he ever committed another offence against a young girl again.

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Appearing from custody at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Lowrie previously pled guilty to engaging in sex acts with underage girls, one as young as 14, between December 15, 2015 and January 24, 2016 and also January 1, 2015 and March 5, 2015.

Last May, Sheriff Caldwell placed Lowrie on a community payback order for three years with the conditions he have no contact with his victim in the case, no unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16 and agree to undergo counselling in relation to sexual offences.

This was after Lowrie pled guilty to having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl between January 1 and March 5, 2015. He also admitted breaching his bail conditions by having unsupervised contact with someone under the age of 16 on March 18 and March 29, 2015.

Last week, Stephen Biggam, defence solicitor, said Lowrie accepted what he had done was serious but hoped he would still be allowed to continue his community-based order given his lack of previous offending.

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However, Sheriff Caldwell’s patience with Lowrie had now worn out.

He said: “You have appeared before me on a number of occasions in relation to these matters. I had taken the view that your initial offending may be put down to commonplace adolescent urges coupled with a degree of immaturity.

“The circumstances now have shown you to be a persistent serious offender who engages in a significant degree of manipulation and devious, dishonest conduct. You are a predator on underage young girls.

“I have to do as much as I can to protect a particular section of society, which is underage girls, from your sinister conduct. You have twice breached your community payback order.”

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In sentencing Lowrie to eight months in prison, back dated to January 25, Sheriff Caldwell also put in place a number of restrictions and monitoring devices designed to protect the community and keep tabs on Lowrie.

These included the teenager being made subject to a Sexual Offences Protection Order (SOPO) for five years.

Sheriff Caldwell explained: “On your release from custody you will be subject to very close supervision by community social workers and police. You will not contact or communicate directly with any child under the age of 16 and you will not have any contact with females under the age of 16.

“You will not loiter around children’s playgrounds or play areas and details of social media accounts and internet use will be monitored. You will have very little freedom.”

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Lowrie was also placed on the sex offenders register for ten years.

Before the handcuffed sex offender was led back down to the cells, Sheriff Caldwell said: “Any single breach of these terms will bring you back to jail and I will recommend a life long restriction order be put in place.”