KYLE CUMMINGS FROM JOHNSTONE SHOCKS COURT WITH TEARS AFTER SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION

In July 2017, a distressing case unfolded at Paisley Sheriff Court involving Kyle Cummings, a 22-year-old man from Johnstone, who was brought before the court on serious charges related to his interactions with a teenage girl. The proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of grooming and sexual activity that culminated in Cummings being placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register, a decision that visibly moved him to tears in the courtroom.

According to the evidence presented, the girl involved was only 15 years old at the time of the initial encounters, which took place in October of the previous year. She appeared in court wearing her school uniform, providing a detailed account of how she was manipulated by Cummings, whom she met through his employment at a fairground. The young girl recounted that she first connected with Cummings after he obtained her mobile phone number during a visit to the fair, where he was working on setting up rides in Glasgow. She explained that their communication began through social media, specifically Snapchat, and that their relationship gradually intensified as they exchanged messages and met in person.

She described how their interactions developed over time, with regular texting and meetings. She told the court that she would travel from Inverclyde to Paisley Gilmour Street station by train, then take another train to Johnstone, followed by a taxi ride to Cummings’ home on Cartside Avenue. The girl admitted to visiting Cummings at his residence on multiple occasions, including a trip on October 27, 2016, just two days after she informed him she was attending a school English class. During this visit, Cummings and the girl engaged in sexual activity, which she described in detail. She stated, “We started to watch TV and then gradually started to do stuff. We had sex. We started kissing and then it just led to sexual intercourse. We finished, then we put our clothes back on and watched TV again.”

Legal proceedings confirmed that Cummings was charged with engaging in consensual sexual acts with the girl on two separate occasions—October 25 and October 27, 2016. The charges specified that the girl was over the age of 13 but under 16 at the time, which constitutes a breach of Section 28 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009. Cummings did not testify in his own defense, and his solicitor claimed that he was unaware of her true age. Defense lawyer Gordon Ritchie argued that the girl had told Cummings she was only 15 in front of a female friend, suggesting that if her account was truthful, the Crown should have called the friend as a witness to corroborate her statement. Ritchie also pointed out that it was difficult to determine her age based solely on her appearance.

Despite these arguments, Sheriff Susan Sinclair dismissed the defense’s request for acquittal and found Cummings guilty of engaging in sexual intercourse with the girl on October 27, 2016. The sheriff emphasized that the sexual activity was consensual but occurred with a minor under the age of 16, which is a criminal offense. She stated, “You and she had consensual, but underage, full sexual intercourse. You will be convicted of this.” The court ordered a report to be prepared for sentencing, which was deferred until the following month. Throughout the proceedings, Cummings was visibly distressed, sobbing uncontrollably as he learned of his placement on the Sex Offenders’ Register, a decision that underscores the gravity of the case and the breach of trust involved.