Sex Offenders’ Register for teen who kissed two 12-year-old girls

Contact ban for accused who plied kids with drink

A teenager who kissed 12-yearold girls after plying them with strong drink has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Declan McMaster, 18, was also banned from contacting or approaching any females aged under 16, handed supervision under the social work department, and fined £ 250 for the offences.

McMaster, of the town’s Rotherwood Avenue, had kissed the youngsters after striking up a conversation with them on the streets of Linwood.

He had been lurking in Clippens Road when he came across the girls by chance.

The youngsters, who can’t be named for legal reasons, asked him to buy drink for them and he bought three cans of eight per cent Dragon Soop, twice the strength of lager.

However, he decided to spend time with the children and a few of their friends, where he ended up making advances to two of the youngsters by kissing them on November 26, last year.

At Paisley Sheriff Court yesterday he appeared in the dock for sentencing after pleading guilty to charges of buying alcohol on behalf of youngsters, sexually assaulting one of the girls by repeatedly kissing her on the mouth, and sexually assaulting the other girl by kissing her on the mouth.

The court had sought background reports from the Pathways Project, which works with sex offenders, and social workers in preparation for handing him his punishment.

Defence agent Rhona Lynch told the court one of the girls had been kissing McMaster consensually but that he accepted she was under the age of 13 and therefore not old enough in the eyes of the law to consent.

She said he had experienced a troubled upbringing, witnessing and being the victim of domestic abuse, had spent time in care and believed they girls were older than 14.

She said: “I have been concerned at view expressed in the reports the accused has attempted to minimise his involvement, or somehow distance himself from culpability, but that is not my impression in dealing with him in this case.

“He is a young man who experienced a large of amount of trauma in his upbringing and has difficulties in managing his emotions.

“However, these proceedings have given him a real fright. He has been worried about this case.”

She urged the court hand him a community- based sentence with supervision built in so the authorities could keep a watchful eye on him.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew concurred with the laywer but told McMaster he would be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for one year while he underwent supervision.

He said: “You will benefit from supervision under the social work department as well as alcohol counselling and as a strict condition, you will be prohibited from direct contact or interaction with female children aged 16 and under other than inadvertent contact in the course of everyday life.”

The accused was told the order, which lasts for one year, was handed to him as an alternative to custody.