Paedo EK medical student avoids jail after sexual abuse
‘Supervision would be of more use’
MIKE MCQUAID
A would-be doctor who sexually assaulted an 11-year-old at his parents home has avoided a custodial sentence.
Creep Liam Griffin abused his helpless victim on “numerous” occasions over a 12-month period.
Hamilton Sheriff Court previously heard how the assaults started when the girl was in P7 and happened as often as “every two weeks”.
Heartbreakingly, court was told the primary pupil didn’t realise she was being abused until her class started sex education lessons.
Medical student Griffin, 19, of Markethill Road in the town, admitted abusing the girl between August 2018 and August last year.
Defence solicitor Matthew McGovern said his client had expressed “deep regret” and realised the “profound impact” the abuse would have on the young victim.
He urged Sheriff Thomas Millar to put Griffin under supervision in the community, telling the court: “This would allow him to address the issues he has.”
Mr McGovern told how his client had lost his job as a result of the conviction and his dream of studying medicine was over.
Sheriff Millar accepted that Griffin had shown remorse and was assessed as being at low risk of offending again.
It was said that if Griffin was locked up he would be freed in a matter of months “with no form of assistance”.
The sheriff told him: “In my view it is more useful to make the case for an extended period of supervision.”
Griffin will be supervised for three years and will be on the sex offenders’ register for the same period.
He will also be confined to his home between 7pm and 7am each day under a six-month electronic tagging order.
Mairi-Clare McMillan, prosecuting, said that when Griffin was charged he told police officers: “I was studying to be a doctor, but I fu**ed up everything.”
Ms McMillan told the court the abuse came to light on August 20 last year after an argument with the girl’s sister.
She explained to the court: “The girl was in a bedroom with her sister. They began to argue and during this she disclosed to her sister that the accused had touched her inappropriately and made her touch him.
“On hearing the argument, the girls’ mother went to the bedroom where she was told by the victim that the accused had sexually assaulted her.
“The accused’s mother was contacted. She confronted him in his bedroom and he confirmed it was true.”
Ms McMillan said the girl told police officers and social workers that she was in Primary 7 when Griffin first molested her – this happened as often as every two weeks.
Ms McMillan added: “This occurred when she visited his home and it was always in his bedroom when they were alone.
“If another girl was there Griffin would send her downstairs on some pretence.
“The girl said she didn’t realise at first that what he did was wrong, but this changed through her getting sex education at school.”
After assaulting her on the final occasion Griffin said “bye” to his victim and left the house to visit his then girlfriend – she has now distanced herself from the beast.