RAYMOND WYPER FROM BORNASKITAG SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ON FACEBOOK IN INVERNESS

In June 2018, a man from Bornaskitag, Raymond Wyper, was sentenced to eight months in prison after being found guilty of engaging in a prolonged pattern of sexual communication with young girls through social media platforms. Wyper, who resides on Willows Road in Kilmuir, appeared before Inverness Sheriff Court to receive his sentence following the preparation of a detailed background report.

Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood addressed the court, stating, “Had this been an isolated incident, I might have considered a non-custodial sentence. However, this was a continuous course of criminal conduct spanning over five years.” The court also ordered Wyper to be placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for a period of ten years, reflecting the severity and ongoing nature of his offenses.

The court proceedings revealed that Wyper, then aged 16, had used a false identity on Facebook, employing a photograph of a teenage Canadian singer to communicate with four different girls. These interactions took place from January 2012 until July 2017, with Wyper being 16 at the start of the offending period. Some of these communications occurred while he was cohabiting with his partner of five years.

During the earlier stages of the case, fiscal depute Michelle Molley disclosed that Wyper had persuaded at least one girl under the age of 13 to send him a topless photograph of herself. The court heard that Wyper’s messages included requests for the girls to perform sexual or simulated sexual acts. Additionally, he sent an explicit image of himself and an obscene video, further demonstrating the predatory nature of his conduct. Wyper admitted to the charges, which spanned over several years, highlighting a disturbing pattern of grooming and exploitation through social media channels.