Public thanked for help after sex offender jailed

PERTHSHIRE: Brandon Williamson abused two 13-year-olds

Police have praised the Perthshire community for helping bring to justice a serial child sex abuser.

Brandon Williamson was jailed for more than two and a half years when he appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court yesterday.

The 20-year-old had admitted sexually abusing two 13-year-olds at addresses in Perth and Inchture.

Williamson, who was deemed as at “very high-risk of reoffending”, was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Detective Constable Graeme Layland led the investigation into Williamson’s offending, which lasted a year, between January 2018 and February 2019.

He said: “I would like to thank the wider communities in Perth and Kinross who have assisted us as we carried out our investigation.

“I hope that the community can take some comfort in knowing that this individual is now in prison and upon his future release will be subject to additional stringent and robust management within the community.”

A 20-year-old man has been locked up after admitting to sexual activity with two underage girls in Perth and Inchture.

Brandon Williamson’s crimes were committed when he was 18 and 19 and involved two 13-year-olds.

The court heard he exchanged Snapchat messages with one girl and over time both began to express “deep emotions” for each other.

However, after around a year the relationship soured and Williamson was apprehended by police when it emerged he had had sex with the girl.

He was further convicted of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards her by shouting, swearing and uttering derogatory remarks.

After being released on bail twice, Williamson then had another underage girl perform a sex act on him after meeting her by chance while under the influence of Valium.

He was detained at Polmont young offenders’ institution, where he tried to pervert the course of justice during the investigation into his offences, including by making repeated attempts to contact one of the girls.

The offences took place on various occasions between January 2018 and February 2019 at addresses in Perth, Inchture and at Polmont.

Williamson, who pled guilty to all charges, was detained for two years and seven months and was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Sentencing him, Sheriff Lorna Drummond said: “They are very serious charges. Two of them involved girls aged 13, at a time when you were 18 and 19.

“The last offence is trying to pervert the course of justice, which is a very serious offence in itself.

“The most important mitigating factor in this is your age – but having said that, you have a record already. You are assessed as being at a very high risk of reoffending. When I put all these factors together, notwithstanding you’re very young, my view is that the only sentence I can impose is one of custody.”

Detective Constable Graeme Layland, Police Scotland’s investigating officer, said: “First and foremost our thoughts remain with the victims and their families as they continue to attempt to cope with the abuse they suffered through Williamson’s sexual exploitation of children.

“I hope that the community can take some comfort in knowing that this individual is now in prison and upon his future release will be subject to additional stringent and robust management within the community.

“I would also like to acknowledge the hard work undertaken by our partners at Perth and Kinross social work department who work tirelessly to protect children every day.”

My view is that the only sentence I can impose is one of custody. SHERIFF LORNA DRUMMOND