PATHER PERVERT SENTENCED FOR ONLINE GROOMING OF TEEN
Kevin Connell, a resident of Lomond Drive in Pather, has been sentenced to 27 months in jail for grooming a 15-year-old girl online.He pleaded guilty to charges of lewd and libidinous practices and behavior towards the teenager after initiating contact via the social networking site Bebo.
Connell, who was employed by the Diocese of Motherwell, falsely claimed to be 19 years old and engaged the girl in inappropriate conversations, ultimately inducing her to remove clothing and record indecent images of herself.
The girl stopped communicating with him in January 2009 after her parents contacted police.
Authorities seized computer equipment from Connell’s home, where chat logs confirmed the exchanges.
During sentencing, Sheriff Miller emphasized the seriousness of the offense, noting Connell’s failure to show remorse or the impact on the victim and her family, and sentenced him to 36 months reduced to 27 months for early guilty plea.
Connell cried for his mother as he left Hamilton Sheriff Court to serve his sentence, which was reduced from 36 months due to his early admission and good character prior to this incident.
