A sex offender who carried out a predatory attack on an underage girl while she was drifting in and out of consciousness after drinking has been jailed for two years.
Thomas Watts, 37, assaulted the child at an address in Fort William after she became intoxicated through alcohol.
A judge told Watts at the High Court in Edinburgh that he had taken advantage of a vulnerable child to commit the sexual assault on her.
Sex crime’s ‘considerable’ impact on victim
Judge Simon Collins KC said that it was clear from a victim impact statement that the impact of the sex crime on her was “considerable and ongoing”.
The judge pointed out that at the time of the offence Watts was aged 34 and his victim was only 14.
He told Watts that he was conscious that he was a first offender, but added: “Ultimately I am satisfied that, given the nature and circumstances of the offence, there is no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
Watts, formerly of South Lochawe Side, Dalmally, in Argyll and Bute, had earlier denied sexually assaulting and raping the girl on January 22 in 2020.
‘Intoxicated’ victim ‘incapable’ of consent
He was acquitted of the rape by a jury at the High Court in Paisley but convicted of carrying out a penetrative sexual attack on the girl when she was incapable of giving or withholding consent whilst she was intoxicated.
During the assault he removed her clothing, seized hold of her breasts, lay on top of her and molested her.
Defence solicitor advocate Derek Pettigrew said that the offence has already had an impact on Watts.
He said: “He has never been in trouble and is assessed as a low risk of reoffending.”
Watts was told that he will be on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years following his sentencing.
