DUNDEE OFFENDER GIVEN 3 YEARS ON THE SEX OFFENDERS REGISTER AFTER ATTACK ON 14 YEAR OLD GIRL
A sex offender from Dundee has been given a community sentence for sexually assaulting a schoolgirl in a village in north-east Fife, which the judge emphasized is “not a soft option”.Earlier this year, Adam Hart appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Dairsie.
He denied the charges but was found guilty unanimously by the jury.
Social workers have evaluated Hart as posing a “moderate” risk of reoffending sexually and expressed concerns about the possibility of recurrence.
Hart is now registered as a sex offender and will undergo a three-year period of sex offender rehabilitation.
Following his trial, the jury convicted Hart of assaulting the girl over two days in July 2024.
Now aged 24 and residing in Dundee, Hart was convicted of assaulting the teenager in a cottage in Dairsie.
During the incident, he rubbed her legs with his hands, placed his hand inside her shorts, and touched her private parts over her underwear.
He also made contact with her breast by placing his hand inside her clothing.
The girl is not identifiable due to legal restrictions.
After the trial, Hart was brought back to the courtroom to be sentenced once background reports were available.
Sheriff Steven Borthwick KC placed Hart on the sex offenders register and under supervision for a period of three years.
He also ordered Hart to complete 180 hours of unpaid community work within the next year and participate in the Moving Forward 2 Change programme designed for sex offender rehabilitation.
The sheriff further directed that Hart must avoid any contact with his young victim or anyone under 18 unless explicitly approved by his supervisor.
The sheriff emphasized that this sentence should not be considered lenient, stating, “This is not a soft option”.
He explained: “The jury found you guilty of sexual assault.
The victim was 14 years old at the time, and you were 22.” The defense acknowledged the severity of the charges, and the court reviewed two detailed reports indicating a “moderate” risk of reoffending.
Given the seriousness of the offence and the concerns about potential future incidents, the sheriff felt rehabilitation would serve society better than a custodial sentence.
He confirmed that the community order was an alternative to custody, stressing its importance.
Finally, the sheriff underlined the societal view that sexual offences, especially involving minors, are utterly unacceptable.
