A mum has been placed on the sex offender’s register after she encouraged a group of children to carry out sexual dares in her home.
Kirstyann Kavanagh bought cider and wine for the Buckie youngsters and then instructed some of them to kiss and touch each other sexually, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
The 23-year-old at one point said that anyone not willing to play truth or dare must leave and she demanded they hand over their mobile phones to stop them from filming the game.
Fiscal depute Sharon Ralph said the children, all aged between 13 and 15, were invited to Kavanagh’s then home in Carnie Place, Buckie, on October 9 2021.
She said it was the first day of the school holidays and the boys and girls were socialising in the town when they clubbed together £30 to buy alcohol.
One girl then contacted Kavanagh over Snapchat and asked if she could purchase it for them.
Agreed to buy children cider and wine
Kavanagh agreed and purchased a crate of Strongbow dark fruit-flavoured cider and two bottles of Echo Falls wine.
“She then asked them to come over to her house and drink it there,” Mrs Ralph said. “They consumed the alcohol in her living room or bedroom.
“The accused did not drink any alcohol herself during the course of the night and two other adults were present in the home but did not engage.
“At some point, the accused was in the living room when she suggested to the youths present that they play a game of truth or dare. The youths were all under the influence of alcohol and some were drunk.
“She told them that unless they played they’d have to leave her home.”
Two of the youngsters left at that point but the rest stayed on.
Challenged kids to kiss and touch
As the dares turned more sexual other youths began to feel increasingly uncomfortable and left, Mrs Ralph said.
At one point Kavanagh dared two boys to kiss girls, which they did.
The kisses were recorded by one of the youngsters, prompting Kavanagh to demand they each place their phones in a cot to prevent further filming.
“The game continued for some time,” the fiscal said. “As they came up with new challenges the dares were of a sexual nature.
“The accused at one point asked a boy to touch the breasts of a girl, but they both felt uncomfortable in doing that and didn’t carry out the dare.”
Later on, Kavanagh told the group that anyone not wanting to sleep over should leave.
Woman initially denied claims
Almost all the teenagers left at this point but three stayed over, sleeping in Kavanagh’s living room while she slept in her bedroom.
The court was told none of their parents knew where they were staying and only found out what had happened when they returned home the next morning.
Police were called and Kavanagh initially denied the charges, however, changed her plea at Elgin Sheriff Court this week.
She pled guilty to buying alcohol for underage minors, culpably and recklessly allowing alcohol to be consumed by minors to their risk of injury and illness, encouraging children to engage in sexual behaviour and behaving in a way contrary to the sexual offences act.
Defence agent Robert Cruickshank reserved any mitigation until after what he suggested would be “illuminative” background social work reports.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood called for those reports and deferred the sentencing of Kavanagh, of Watt Avenue, Buckie, until next month.
She was made subject to the notification requirements of the sex offender’s register meantime.
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