OFFENDER SCOTT HOWE PLACED BACK ON SEX OFFENDERS' REGISTER AFTER UNDERAGE SEXUAL OFFENCE
An offender, Scott Howe, had sex with an underage girl while under social work supervision following a similar crime.Howe, aged 21, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week.
He admitted having unlawful sex with the teenage girl at two addresses in East Kilbride.
The incident occurred on various occasions between January 1 and April 1 last year.
Howe was previously placed on the sex offenders’ register at the same court in 2022 for offences involving a teenage girl.
At that time, he was also placed under supervision for 18 months and ordered to attend a programme for sex offenders.
Sheriff Joanna McDonald placed Howe back on the sex offenders’ register but deferred sentencing until August for good behaviour, allowing him to continue unpaid work related to driving offences.
The court heard that Howe is now living in Carluke and is carrying out unpaid work.
Defence lawyer Gregor Jarrott stated that Howe’s supervision period ended, and though he is a vulnerable young man who had experienced trauma, the latest social work report was generally positive, noting he has matured and learned.
The sheriff emphasized that this was Howe’s second offence of this nature and took a serious view, but also indicated that if Howe does not offend again before the next court date, he might consider a non-custodial sentence.
