PETER BURNS REHOMED NEAR LIVINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL IN WEST LOTHIAN

In Livingston, West Lothian, convicted sex offender Peter Burns, who previously resided near Harrysmuir Primary School following outraged complaints from his victim’s mother, has now been rehomed near Inveralmond Community High School in Ladywell. Burns, 51, originally from Armadale, moved into a house on Gowanbank in August after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a primary school girl when she was under seven years old, as revealed in court.

However, during his sentencing at Livingston Sheriff Court, Burns’s lawyer presented a new bail address, which is adjacent to Inveralmond High School. Burns's history includes a conviction for possessing indecent images of children and being charged with sexual abuse. He first pleaded guilty in January 1991 to lewd, indecent, and libidinous practices involving the girl when she was between five and seven years old. He admitted to inducing her to lie on a couch with him, covering her with a duvet, and sexually assaulting her, causing injury.

The Crown accepted his not guilty plea to a similar offence against the same girl when she was aged nine or ten. Burns’s name was added to the sex offenders’ register for a second time following his new conviction.

Prosecutor Jim Robertson informed the court that Burns was still subject to a two-year community payback order from a 2015 case involving indecent images. He explained that the victim had only recently revealed the abuse, telling her mother about it.

"It was on 9 August 2016 that police were first informed," Mr. Robertson stated. "The victim made a complaint about her interactions with the accused."

Police detained Burns, who admitted to the allegations without providing reasons for his actions. Defense lawyer Kevin Dugan suggested obtaining a medical report to determine Burns’s fitness for unpaid work and recommended a psychological assessment, citing significant issues.

Sheriff Martin Edington deferred sentencing until October 26, warning Burns that refusal to cooperate could result in a sentence without options for unpaid work. Outside court, the victim’s mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, expressed her outrage, stating she had contacted housing authorities to remove Burns from his previous residence near the primary school.

"There was a family with two young children living next door to this paedophile unaware of his past," she said. "Now he's been moved to a very close location near a secondary school. There’s something seriously wrong with the system if that’s considered acceptable."