No jail for sex offender ‘infatuated’ by teen

A CONVICTED sex offender who stood outside a 15-year-old boy’s window in the dead of night shining a torch and wearing a doctor’s coat has avoided jail.

James Donaldson, 52, of Glenesk Avenue, carried out a bizarre campaign of harassment towards the teenager.

Donaldson previously served a fouryear prison term for sodomy and lewd, indecent and libidnous practices towards a 13-year-old boy in 1989.

Prosecutors argued his conduct displayed a “significant sexual element”. But a sheriff said she couldn’t take into account his previous conviction and allowed him to walk free on a community payback order.

A jury found him guilty of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards the boy on various occasions between October 1 2016 and December 4 last year.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard that Donaldson developed an infatuation with the boy and was caught repeatedly walking past his home. At one point he was seen outside the boy’s bedroom window at night wearing a doctor’s coat and shining a torch in his window.

Sheriff Lorna Drummond said: “It is a relatively serious offence. You have spent a significant period on remand and in the circumstances I’m going to impose a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody.”