BACK BEHIND BARS: CONVICTED RAPIST EXPOSES HIMSELF ON BUS IN WISHAW
A freed rapist is back behind bars after committing a sex act in front of a teenage girl on a bus in Wishaw.Robert McCallum was "staring intently" at the 15-year-old as he exposed himself.
She was "crying and upset" when she reported what happened to her shocked mother, Hamilton Sheriff Court heard.
McCallum, 67, admitted engaging in sexual activity in the girl's presence during a bus journey on December 6.
Sheriff Liam Murphy expressed "great concern" at his criminal record which includes a 10-year sentence for rape in 2006.
He was also convicted at Airdrie Sheriff Court last year of a sexual offence involving a teenage girl and given another prison sentence, reports LanarkshireLive.
Rebecca Clark, prosecuting, said the latest offence happened after McCallum got on the bus in Glasgow Road, Wishaw, around 1.20pm.
She told the court: "The girl was sitting in the second back row and the accused sat directly across from her.
Immediately he started staring at her which made her feel uncomfortable." Ms Clark added: "This wasn't for a fleeting moment.
CCTV footage recovered from the bus shows he appeared to be exposing himself for nine minutes, staring at the girl intently throughout." "The girl got off the bus and headed home, texting her mother on the way.
She was crying and distressed." The court heard McCallum was recalled to prison following his arrest and has been held since.
Defence lawyer Ross Brown admitted the experience must have been "very upsetting" for the girl.
He added: "There is very little I can say in mitigation.
We will find out a lot more about my client and his particular difficulties when background reports are available." Sheriff Murphy remanded McCallum in custody ahead of sentence next month, saying: "You have pleaded guilty to a serious offence and have previous convictions for sexual offending which is of great concern." "I will consider a risk assessment and have you assessed for an extended sentence." The sheriff will also consider a Crown request for a sexual harm prevention order.
