Youth on bail for child sex offence raped 12-year-old

Ronan Curtis arranged to meet first girl through social media then attacked second a month later

A youth raped a 12-year-old girl a month after he was freed on bail, following his arrest over a sex offence with another underage child.

Ronan Curtis met the first girl, who was aged 13, through one of her friends and began communicating with her through social media.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the girl made him aware of her age and she knew that he was 18 at the time.

She and a friend received Snapchat messages from him asking them to go to his house on Bridgend Street in Dundee.

The girl told her friend that although she wanted to go she did not want to go alone and asked her to accompany her. Advocate depute Margaret Barron told the court that once at the house, the friend stayed in the living room while the girl went into a bedroom with Curtis.

Curtis asked the girl if she wanted to have sex and she agreed and they had unprotected intercourse.

The prosecutor said that a few weeks later the girl met Curtis, who told her not to discuss what had happened with anyone. Miss Barron said the girl understood that the reason was because she was underage and she became upset and a brief argument occurred as she had already spoken to a friend.

She said in late May last year the police received information that Curtis had sex with the girl and spoke to her and she confirmed this was the case.

Police arrested Curtis and he made no comment during an interview.

He appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court on June 28 and was freed on bail.

But a month later he assaulted the 12-year-old girl after drinking with her at a village in Aberdeenshire. Curtis was staying with relatives and got to know a group of youngsters, including the girl, who told him she was 13.

She was out with a 13-year-old friend when they met Curtis and the trio began drinking vodka, cider and beer.

Curtis walked off with the girl and without warning or checking with her pulled down her trousers and pants and got on top of her. Miss Barron said there was some sexual contact but the girl immediately pushed him off and got to her feet, pulled up her clothing and left to seek her friend.

The following day she told friends what had happened, who made her realise the seriousness of it. After the girl spoke with her mother about the incident, police were called.

Unemployed Curtis was arrested again and subsequently appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and was remanded in custody. Curtis, now 19, admitted having unlawful sexual intercourse with the 13-year-old girl on an occasion between March 1 and May 26 last year at a house on Bridgend Street, Dundee, and raping the 12-yearold on July 28 or 29 last year, when he appeared in court yesterday.

Lord Armstrong adjourned the case for sentencing and Curtis was placed on the sex offenders register.