BRECHIN MAN AVOIDS JAIL FOR ONLINE GROOMING OF TEENAGERS
An individual named Christopher Lowson, who is from Martin’s Lane, Brechin, was involved in serious online grooming offences.During a court hearing at Forfar Sheriff Court, it was revealed that Lowson had engaged in inappropriate online contact with a 15-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl.
He had previously admitted to sending a sexually explicit picture to the 13-year-old between September 1 and October 31, 2015, and coercing the 15-year-old into viewing sexual images, communicating indecently via social media platforms, and asking her to send him images of her body between October 2015 and January 2016.
Lowson also made arrangements for the 15-year-old to travel with the intention of engaging in unlawful sexual activity with her or in her presence.
The court sentenced Lowson to be added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for three years, while imposing a Community Payback Order requiring him to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work, with specific conditions including a ban on unsupervised contact with minors and other sex offenders, and strict controls over device ownership and internet access.
The sheriff stated that this community sentence was a direct alternative to imprisonment, given the seriousness of the offences and the element of planning involved.
Lowson expressed full responsibility for his actions and was in full-time employment at the time of the offences.
The court highlighted that the report suggested an alternative to jail was possible, and Lowson's conduct was connected to a difficult period in his marriage.
