A Peterhead man has been jailed after admitting he sexually assaulted a teenage girl almost two years ago.
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 14 years old at the time of the incident.
James Stewart, 36, admitted the sex attack, which happened in June 2022, and a further charge of possessing indecent photographs – some of which were in the most serious category.
Fiscal depute Jennifer Pritchard told the court that Stewart’s phone was seized from him in 2022 and 17 indecent images were found on it.
“Four being in the highest category of child abuse material,” she added.
James Stewart lured victim using fake social media account
Ms Pritchard said Stewart had been using a fake social media account to message the teen and on June 10 2022, had enticed her to skip school to meet him.
The court was told that using the anonymous account Sunsetvibexox, Stewart lured his victim to a property in Peterhead.
Ms Pritchard said Stewart had been sitting on a bed next to the girl and had been trying to touch her breasts.
She said the girl asked him to stop and tried to push him off her however she fell off the bed onto the floor.
Stewart then pulled down her clothing and sexually assaulted her.
Ms Pritchard said: “She managed to stand up, but Stewart grabbed her by the arms and pushed her against a wall.”
‘I’ve done something bad’
The girl screamed and continued to push Stewart off, but he told her to “be quiet”.
Ms Pritchard said: “He was telling her – it will be quick if she just let him do what he wanted to do.”
The girl later told school friends about the attack and the police arrested Stewart, who the court heard, claimed he was going to kill himself “because I’ve done something bad”.
Stewart’s defence agent Stuart Flowerdew said his client was “disgusted” by his behaviour and had been misusing drugs at the time of the incident.
He said Stewart was now the main carer for his disabled mother and he was unemployed.
Peterhead paedophile jailed for 22 months
Sheriff Craig Findlater said because of the nature of the offence he would place him on the sex offenders register and its restrictions for 10 years.
He said there was no way to deal with Stewart other than jail and sentenced him to a total of 22 months in prison.
Stewart, of Duthie Gardens, Waterside, looked unmoved as he was handcuffed and led away from to dock.
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