The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Sex offender freed to commit third assault
Young man had been released on bail when he lured another victim to North Inch park via social media and attacked her
A young man released on bail over two sex assaults used his freedom to lure a woman to a deserted park and subject her to a violent sexual attack.
Kyle Laing, 19, set up a fake Facebook profile under the name Iona Gannon and told the woman he wanted to buy clothes from her that she was selling via the social media site.
He then turned up and told her “Iona” was running late – before grabbing her, tripping her up and brutally attacking her.
Laing had first been released on bail by Paisley Sheriff Court over a sexual assault for which he will be sentenced today, only to carry out another attack, this time on a 15-year-old girl in Perth.
But when he appeared in court charged with that assault he again walked free, leaving him on the streets to carry out the third, most serious attack.
Laing has now been sent to detention for four years and nine months and ordered to be monitored in the community for five years on his release after being convicted of two horrific attacks.
In the initial Perth case, for which he was sentenced yesterday, he targeted a 15-year-old girl in the garden of a house in the city’s Letham area by grabbing her, attemping to kiss her and handling her buttocks.
Despite being on bail at the time for the Paisley case, which is understood to involve a sexual assault on a woman in a car, he walked free with a curfew and an order only to leave his house when accompanied by an adult over 25 or by a social worker.
But Laing completely ignored the conditions and went out on February 19 having set up a meeting at Perth’s North Inch park, in the vicinity of Bells Sports Centre and Perth Bowling Club, with his unsuspecting victim.
She was expecting Laing’s fake online persona Iona to appear to purchase clothes from her that she had been advertising on Facebook.
His victim told Dundee Sheriff Court how Laing first grabbed her and tripped her up, causing her to fall to the ground.
He then seized her arms and pinned her down before putting his hand over her mouth and struggling with her.
Laing then touched her in a sexual manner over her clothing before repeatedly punching her head to her injury.
Laing, 19, a prisoner at Polmont young offenders institution, denied two
It is clear to me that you present a very high risk of committing serious sexual assaults and it is my duty to protect potential victims. SHERIFF ALASTAIR BROWN
charges of sexual assault in Perth on June 18 2016 and February 19 this year.
But a jury found him guilty by majority of attacking the 15-year-old girl in June last year and attacking the woman on February 19.
Defence advocate Niall McCluskey said yesterday: “A custodial sentence of some sort is inevitable in this case.
“Charge one is, in the context, more minor than charge two.”
Fiscal depute Vicki Bell asked that the court place Laing on a sexual offences prevention order in an attempt to limit his risk of offending when he is released.
Sheriff Alastair Brown handed Laing a nine-year, nine-month extended sentence – four years and nine months to be served in custody in a young offenders institution and five years on licence in the community.
If he breaches that licence he could be recalled to serve the remainder in prison.
Laing was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and placed on a sexual offences prevention order curbing his internet use and contact with women and children for 15 years.
Sheriff Brown said: “This is a man who set up a girl to be the victim of a very serious sexual assault using the internet.
“It is clear to me that you present a very high risk of committing serious sexual assaults and it is my duty to protect potential victims.”