SEX OFFENDER RYAN BURNETT SENT TO JAIL FOR GROPING TEEN ON BUS
A registered sex offender named Ryan Burnett, aged 25, was sentenced to more than 26 months in prison after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl during a bus journey in the north-east.The incident occurred on an Aberdeen to Peterhead bus, where Burnett sat next to the teenager under the pretense of not knowing where to get off.
During the journey, as the girl felt queasy from motion sickness, Burnett took advantage of her vulnerable state by touching her legs and breasts without her consent.
According to court reports, the girl believed Burnett was trying to be kind, but he began caressing her thigh with his right hand, while drinking a can of beer with his left.
She described his actions as stroking and touching motions.
Burnett also moved his hand to touch her bare skin around her ankle and asked if she shaved her legs, while making inappropriate comments about her legs being 'soft.' When she sought to escape by going to the toilet, Burnett returned and continued to grope her thigh, even rubbing his crotch against her leg, which made her feel very uncomfortable.
After returning from the toilet, he mentioned, 'I hope this isn’t going to be a one-night bus stand,' and then sat next to her again, kissing her while rubbing her thigh, causing her to pull away and hit her head on the window.
As the bus approached Peterhead, Burnett lifted her top and bra, exposing her breasts and further touching her.
The girl then disembarked and confided in her family about the incident.
Her mother, noting her daughter’s high anxiety and her frequent sickness that night, decided to wait until the following morning to report the assault to police.
The girl was later traced and Burnett was arrested under the Sexual Offences Act.
He pleaded guilty to the charges of sexual assault by touching her body, kissing her, and pulling up her top to expose her breasts.
The sheriff described Burnett as a “danger to the public” and more specifically to young women, citing his previous convictions for possession of indecent images and a condition not to contact females under 16.
The sheriff sentenced him to more than 26 months, which extended his current sentence to 50 months, and placed him on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
The judge emphasized that Burnett’s behavior demonstrated he was a significant threat, describing his conduct as frightening and inappropriate, especially targeting a young girl.
