Missing sex offender gets six months

A missing sex offender who was found living in a tent after a huge search has been jailed for six months.

Ryan Hill claimed he fled his home after threats were made against him and family members.

Hill, 29, of Woodside Crescent, Newmains, was sentenced at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Friday.

He admitted breaching a condition of the sex offenders’ register by failing to tell police within three days of a change of address.

Hill was placed on the register in 2016 when he was jailed for a year after exposing himself to women in Carluke.

Police were looking for him in connection with an unrelated matter in July last year.

Jennifer McCabe, prosecuting, told the court: “He had absconded and a warrant for his arrest was issued.

“A large-scale police investigation was launched.

“It was understood he had fled to Blackpool and there was considerable collaboration with Lancashire Police, but with negative results.”

Police were then told Hill had returned to Scotland and had asked friends to find him a tent.

Ms McCabe added: “About 11am on September 3 he was found with a tent in a wooded area beside the A73 near Newmains.

“He freely told officers ‘Since I came back I’ve been sleeping in a tent. I’m stinking – smell my clothes. I’ve been in a tent for 10 or 11 days’.”

Defence agent Tom Watters said his client had failed to comply with the “formality” of informing the police that he’d changed address.

The lawyer stated: “He and his family had been subjected to intense threats and there was a fear of violence.

“He left his father’s house and was looking at various addresses, but he should have notified the police of his difficulty and kept them fully advised.”

Sheriff John Speir had deferred sentence for a criminal justice social work report, but decided that custody was the only appropriate outcome.

He reduced the sentence from eight months to six because of Hill’s guilty plea.