STEVEN RANDALL, KNOWN SEX OFFENDER FROM STRATHAVEN, JAILED FOR MOLESTATION IN AYRSHIRE

In November 2009, Steven Randall, a 23-year-old convicted sex offender from Strathaven in South Lanarkshire, was sentenced to five years and four months in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a four-year-old boy. The incident occurred in March at a residence in Ayrshire while the boy was asleep.

Randall, who had previously been on the sex offenders register due to a prior offense involving children, had been removed from the list in July 2008. Despite this, authorities continued to monitor him closely due to a "high risk" assessment.

During the sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh, the judge, Lord Mackay, described Randall as posing a "high risk" and ordered a lifelong restriction. The judge stated, "I am advised there is a risk of serious sexual violence, and that violence might be directed against children or adults." The parole board will determine when it is safe for Randall's release.

The court was informed that Randall had visited the child’s family home, and he molested the boy in the middle of the night. He had previously admitted to indecent behaviour towards the child during an earlier hearing.

Regarding police action, it was revealed that although Randall’s registration on the sex offenders list had ended, law enforcement officials continued to visit and monitor him because of his assessed high risk.

The four-year-old boy was the one who alerted his mother to the abuse. Initially, Randall denied the allegations when questioned by police, but he later admitted to the abuse during a second interview. As a result, the court ordered him to be placed back on the sex offenders register.