Predator finally put behind bars
Sheriff ignores‘life-changing’compensation offer
A sexual predator who plied a teenager with drink and drugs before coercing her into performing intimate acts on him was finally jailed for two years at Perth Sheriff Court.
Stephen Hamilton, who is now 59, also had his name added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.
The court was told that the historic sex offences took place when he was a 37-year-old high-flying businessman and ran a string of successful clubs and restaurants in Edinburgh.
But he “got caught up in a hedonistic lifestyle” which involved heavy drinking and regular socialising, as well as promiscuity.
That “clouded his judgment” and subsequently led to a “lack of consideration” for others, including his victim who was just 15 at the time.
But his lawyer, Ian Sievewright, submitted: “He appears in court today as an entirely different man from 20 years ago.”
And he urged the sheriff to impose a community payback order instead of prison and said Hamilton would pay “perhaps life-changing compensation” to the victim.
But Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told the accused, who has had his sentencing delayed several times over the 11 months: “Not withstanding what’s been said on your behalf, I consider that the offence is of such severity that custody is appropriate.
“The narrative set out a course of conduct which involved regular abuse - conduct which escalated from fondling and touching to conduct which, it would be fair to say, stopped just short of effectively full sexual intercourse.”
Matters were “further aggravated” by the fact Hamilton, of Stronachie House, Forgandenny, had supplied the under-age teen with alcohol and cannabis.
He added: “It’s perfectly clear the effects on the complainer were significant from her victim impact statement.”
The sheriff also noted that the maximum penalty for the offence to which Hamilton had pled guilty had been increased from two years to 10 years just 36 days before his illegal activity stopped.
The accused pled guilty earlier to using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards the girl on various occasions between September 6, 1996, and September 5, 1997.
The indecent acts took place at various farm roads near his home, at Dunblane Hydro Hotel and a bed and breakfast in Perth’s Marshall Place.
The court heard that he would often take his victim out in his car then park on rural roads.
He began by kissing and touching her inappropriately before he was able to persuade her to perform more intimate acts on him.
Depute fiscal Tina Dickie told the court: “She did not want to carry out these acts but the accused would persuade her.”
The teenager, who can’t be named for legal reasons, kept quiet about the liaisons for almost two decades before confiding in her partner in 2015.
Mr Sievewright said the accused is now employed by a network of companies involved in the operation of wind turbines and the development of land used by such turbines.
He was a “key employee” and if he were to be jailed, that would have “a destabilising effect” on the company which would ultimately result in the loss of a number of jobs.
The lawyer added: “At the time when this was happening, he didn’t realise it was having a detrimental effect on the complainer.
“He’s had time to reflect and he’s deeply sorry for his conduct.”
The lawyer revealed that after she turned 16, the girl took part in a consensual sexual relationship with him.
That had ended amicably when she was around 18. Stephen Hamilton is this week starting a two-year prison sentence