Sex offender who stalked city shop worker locked up

A PAEDOPHILE has been locked up for stalking a Perth city centre shop worker.

Convicted sex criminal Gordon Simpson – who once claimed being overweight made him look at child abuse images – repeatedly visited the Zeus Juice vape store and stood for long periods, staring at a female employee.

The morbidly obese 32-year-old never bought anything but would occasionally try to strike up a conversation.

He immediately left whenever another worker entered the store.

Staff became so worried they began recording his behaviour.

Bosses noted that he would stand ogling his victim for up to 40 minutes at a time.

They eventually reported him to police.

Simpson appeared at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted engaging in a course of conduct which caused the employee fear or alarm, between April 12 and 22 this year.

He began visiting the High Street shop after being released from prison.

Simpson, who was originally jailed for possession of child abuse images, was imprisoned again last year for having a mobile phone capable of accessing the internet.

Having such a phone was a breach of his sexual offences prevention order.

Three years earlier, he was caged for having a laptop without police monitoring software.

At the time, 25-stone Simpson claimed being so overweight had led to him developing an interest in child abuse pictures.

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton confirmed Simpson, of Skinnergate, Perth, pled guilty to the stalking charge.

“I have instructions to move for bail on his behalf,” she said. “Seriously?” replied Sheriff Martin Edington. The sheriff told Simpson: “This is a serious charge.

“The choice for me is to either defer for reports, or imprison you today.

“The application for bail – given your record and the fact you have pled guilty to a very serious matter – is frankly risible.

“Your application has been refused and you will be remanded in custody.”

Sentence was deferred until June 22.

Sheriff Edington added: “You should be under no illusions that if I am the presiding sheriff that day, you will remain in prison.”

Simpson’s victim declined to comment, but a spokeswoman for Zeus Juice said: “We want to say thank-you to the Perth police for their quick and professional response on the matter.

“We have our staff’s safety as a number one priority.”