GRAEME LAING FROM BOLTON AND METHIL RE-SENTENCED AFTER MULTIPLE BREACHES OF SEX OFFENDER ORDER

A convicted sex offender from the regions of Bolton and Methil has faced a renewed and more severe sentence after repeatedly violating the conditions of his community-based punishment. Graeme Laing, who was initially sentenced in May 2023, has now been re-sentenced following four separate breaches of his court-ordered supervision.

In the original sentencing, Laing, aged 30 at the time, received a two-year community payback order (CPO). Additionally, his obligation to remain on the sex offenders register was extended by five years after he admitted to engaging in a series of online sexual offences. These offences included sending explicit images to adults who were pretending to be minors and downloading material related to child abuse. The court heard that Laing’s criminal activities involved both online communications and attempts to meet minors in person.

His initial convictions stemmed from incidents at an address on Lime Grove in Methil during June and July of 2021, when he was 26 years old. The charges included attempting to induce a child to view sexual images and communicating indecently with a minor. Laing also engaged in deceptive online interactions with two adults, pretending they were underage girls, during which he sent explicit photographs and messages. He further attempted to meet one of these decoys, which constituted a breach of his court undertaking.

Despite being given multiple opportunities to adhere to the court’s orders, Laing continued to breach the conditions of his community sentence. As a result, Sheriff Paul Ralph intervened, replacing Laing’s community payback order with a custodial sentence of ten weeks. This sentence was backdated to the previous month, reflecting the ongoing breaches. Furthermore, Laing was placed on the sex offenders register for a period of seven years, underscoring the seriousness with which the court viewed his repeated violations.

During the sentencing, Sheriff Ralph emphasized the court’s frustration and the importance of enforcing strict consequences. He stated, “You’ve had four chances at this order – that is the court bending over backwards,” highlighting the numerous opportunities Laing had been given. The sheriff also made it clear that, given the repeated breaches, custody was necessary and that supervision would be terminated to reflect the gravity of Laing’s actions. This case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the justice system in managing sex offenders and the importance of strict enforcement to protect the community.