KIRK STUART PEARSON AKA KIRK STUART FORSYTH

A convicted child sex offender has walked free from court despite being found guilty of multiple attacks on a young child.

The disturbing case began in January 2023 when a female victim came forward to police with allegations of historical abuse.

She reported that between the ages of six and seven, she had been raped on four separate occasions by the accused.

After a three-year wait for justice, the case concluded in January 2026 when the man was found guilty of four counts of sexual assault against a minor.

Shockingly, he was allowed bail ahead of sentencing and returned to court in March 2026 to learn his fate.

Despite the seriousness of the offences, the court handed him a two-year prison sentence — but suspended it for two years, meaning he will not serve time in custody unless he reoffends.

As part of the sentence, he has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years, handed a lifetime restraining order to protect the victim, and ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid community service.

The decision is likely to spark anger, with many questioning how someone convicted of repeated sexual offences against a child has avoided immediate imprisonment.

For the victim, who found the courage to speak out years after the abuse, the conviction brings some closure.