Child abuser who was let off by sheriff gets away scot-free AGAIN
Christopher Daniel, 18, was given an absolute discharge despite being found guilty of a number of sexual assaults.
Former dental student Daniel, who was 15 to 17 at the time of the offences, was not put on the sex offenders’ register and does not have a criminal record. At Dumbarton Sheriff Court last December, Sheriff Gerard Sinclair deemed the offence ‘the result of an entirely inappropriate curiosity of an emotionally naive teenager rather than for the purpose of sexual gratification’.
Prosecutors planned to appeal on grounds of ‘undue leniency’ – but later dropped the case. The move sparked a public outcry, with the girl’s family vowing to raise funds to pay for a legal challenge. But her mother has now revealed they have had to abandon their efforts to get tougher justice.
She said: ‘The appeal got dropped by the court, so it was up to us to push further and look to pay around £30,000 to try to fight it.
‘We ended up feeling like we tried our best and we’re just going to put it behind us.’
Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: ‘The general issue of undue leniency has yet to be resolved.
‘Having written to the Justice Secretary [Humza Yousaf] about the legal principle, I would hope to hear the Scott i s h Law Commission’s thoughts in the near future.
‘No parent should be put in the position of having to make these kinds of decisions.’
It is understood Daniel has now moved from the house in the Glasgow area where the offences took place. He is no l onger enrolled on his dental studies course at the University of Glasgow.
The Scottish Courts Service confirmed there are no appeals pending against Daniel.
The Scottish Government said: ‘The Justice Secretary has written to the Scottish Law Commission about this.
‘It will consider a programme on the question of unduly lenient sentencing laws in the next work programme.
‘We have supported relevant agencies i n taking robust action against those who commit sexual offences.
‘We have strengthened the criminal law on sexual offences and i ncreased support to victims’ organisations.’