JAMES STEWART

PETERHEAD MAN JAILED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

A man from Peterhead, James Stewart, aged 36, has been sentenced to 22 months in prison after admitting to sexual assault on a teenage girl and possessing indecent photographs.

The court was told that Stewart used a fake social media account, Sunsetvibexox, to contact a 14-year-old girl and lure her to a property in Peterhead in June 2022.

During the encounter, Stewart sat close to the girl on a bed and attempted to touch her breasts.

When she asked him to stop and tried to push him away, she fell to the floor.

Stewart then pulled down her clothing and sexually assaulted her.

He continued to push her against a wall afterwards.

The girl later confided in her friends, which led to police arresting Stewart.

The police found 17 indecent images on his phone, four of which were in the highest category of child abuse material.

Stewart claimed he was planning to kill himself because he thought he had done something bad.

His defense stated he was distressed, misusing drugs, and was caring for his disabled mother.

The sheriff sentenced him to jail, placed him on the sex offenders register for ten years, and explained there was no alternative but imprisonment.