Fife rapist jailed

A former soldier who raped a schoolgirl he had groomed on Facebook and Snapchat has been jailed for five years.

John Fawcett, 26, used the social media networks to groom the girl before assaulting her at a location in Leslie, Fife, in October 4 2016.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Fawcett had made contact with the teenager when she was aged 16.

The court heard that Fawcett ‘flirted’ with the girl in the weeks leading up to the attack. He sent her pictures of his penis and arranged to meet her at a secluded spot.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, agreed to meet him. But the court heard that she didn’t consent to having sex with Fawcett.

On Friday, judge Lord Brailsford told Fawcett, who served with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, that he had no other option but to send him to prison.

He added: “I take into account the fact that you have served your country. However, you have been convicted of a very serious offence.

“I must mark the seriousness of this offence by imposing a prison sentence. It will be one of five years.”

The story emerged after Fawcett, of Leslie, was convicted of rape following a three-day trial at the high court last month.

Fawcett, who is known in his home village as Rob, had pleaded not guilty to the charge. But jurors took just two hours to return a majority guilty verdict.

Lord Brailsford deferred sentence for the court to obtain reports on Fawcett’s character.

On Friday, defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson told the judge that the report stated that his client was assessed as being at a “low risk” of reoffending.

Lord Brailsford also placed Fawcett on the sex offenders register.

John Fawcett raped a 16-year-old girl.