Jail for thug who launched a tirade of vile abuse at kids
The girls were out shopping when Elliot targeted them
A vile yob who terrorised and chased a group of 12-year- old girls through Paisley has been locked up.
Caitlin Elliot, 18, was accompanied by a man, when she hounded and abused the youngsters as they looked in shop windows and chatted among themselves in the town’s High Street on November 27.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard the accused, who appeared in the dock from custody, made threats of violence and even mocked one of the youngsters over the recent death of her mother.
Fiscal depute Tom Bowman told the court: “The complainers were at the locus looking in shop windows and talking among themselves.
“The accused who was with another, approached the youngsters and stated to the complainers, ‘What the f**k are youse looking at?’
“She added, ‘ Youse are ugly wee rats. Youse are about 12.’
“Thereafter she spoke to one of the children calling her a ‘ rat’. Further comments were made to the complainers. These were abusive.”
The court heard one of the brave youngsters, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stuck up for herself telling Elliot she shouldn’t be saying things like that, but was told off by the accused, who claimed she could say what she wanted.
Elliot even abused one of the youngsters saying she hated the child’s mum.
The fiscal added: “The complainer confirmed that her mother was actually dead.
“She was visibly upset and crying. “Other complainers were shocked by the accused’s behaviour and her comment.
“The accused said she was going to batter all the witnesses. She was going to pull out or rip out all of their hair.”
The fiscal added that as the children began to walk away, Elliot followed them, which really frightened them. He added: “The witnesses were scared. “They were frightened of the accused. They began to run away. They were again followed by the accused.”
The incident which kicked off at around 6.30pm in the town’s High Street only ended when Elliot gave up her pursuit at New Street.
The youngsters reported her to the police.
Yesterday, Elliot, of Dundonald Road, Paisley, pleaded guilty to charges of behaving in a threatening manner and she shouted, swore, made threats and followed the youngsters.
She also admitted the offences took place while she was subject to various bail orders, including a curfew at her address.
Defence agent Michael McKeown claimed the accused had initially approached the youngsters to offer them “comfort”.
He said: “She accepts she made these comments. Her position is she was in the proximity of this group of young people and she claims she was trying to offer them comfort, but things deteriorated from there.
“She accepts she was responsible and has shown remorse for this offence and has instructed a plea of guilty.”
He added Elliot also pleaded guilty to the breach of her curfew and asked the court to consider handing her a community-based sentence.
However, Sheriff Tom McCartney said the court had run out of options in dealing with her and he handed a prison sentence.
He said: “I am aware that you are only 18, coming up for 19, but over the last nine months you have managed to accrue six different cases.
“The court has deferred sentence and handed you a community payback order, but this repeat offending has to be dealt with.
“Here today, this was a particularly nasty offence committed against much younger children while you were subject to numerous bail orders and a community payback order.”
He sentenced her 100 days in jail for hounding the children and 40 days for breaching her curfew, saying the sentences will run concurrently.