The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Back to jail for sex offender
APerth sex offender is back behind bars after he stole a bottle of wine just days after his release. Martin Reeves was caged last year after police found a missing schoolgirl hiding under his bed.
Perth Sheriff Court heard Reeves had lured the vulnerable 15-year-old to his city centre home and engaged in sexual activity with her.
The 34-year-old then ordered the youngster to hide when police came looking for her.
Reeves told officers he had not seen the girl, before they pointed out her jacket lying on his sofa and her hand sticking out from underneath his bed.
The registered sex criminal was jailed for 74 weeks.
Reeves was back in the dock last week – albeit via video link – after he was caught shoplifting in Perth while still on a strict sex offender order.
He admitted a charge of stealing alcohol from the Co-op store, Bridgend, on April 18.
The charge states he committed the offence “while subject to a Sex Offender Order imposed on May 13 2021”.
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson said a shop assistant at the Co-op store, Bridgend, noticed that a bottle of wine was missing from a display shelf.
She said: “He looked at CCTV and watched the accused place the bottle in a black backpack, before leaving the store.”
When Reeves was traced by police, he told them: “I’m going to jump off a bridge.”
Solicitor John McLauchlan said Reeves had been recalled to prison until December. He said: “He was going through a different period at the time but things have improved.”
Sheriff Craig McSherry jailed Reeves for four months.
Days after he was jailed in June last year, Reeves returned to the same court and was sentenced for a separate charge of inciting his Rottweiler to attack two schoolgirls.
The court heard he encouraged the dog to chase the youngsters, forcing them to run across a road without looking, as they tried to escape.
He was found guilty of attacking the 14 and 15-year-olds in Balhousie Street, following a trial.
Sheriff Neil Bowie imposed a three-month prison term, but said it will run concurrently with his 74-week sentence.