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Aberdeen gunpoint rapist branded danger to the public

Nathan Sim is waiting to discover if he will face monitoring from the authorities for the rest of his life.

Nathan Sim outside the High Court in Aberdeen. Image: DC Thomson
Nathan Sim outside the High Court in Aberdeen. Image: DC Thomson

A dangerous sex offender who abducted and raped a man at gunpoint will find out later this week if he is going to be the subject of life-long monitoring.

Nathan Sim was found guilty of the sustained and brutal attack following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen in August.

The 20-year-old was convicted of donning a black balaclava and pulling an imitation handgun on his 18-year-old victim, who believed he was being given a place to sleep after he missed his bus home.

Sim then subjected him to a prolonged and violent abduction and rape, which lasted until the early hours of the morning at his address on Great Northern Road in July 2022.

It was stated that, following the rape, Sim also forced the teenager into a shower to destroy forensic evidence.

Sim had been due to be sentenced yesterday but following a lengthy legal discussion between Judge Graham Buchanan and Sim’s defence counsel David Moggach KC, a final decision will be made on Friday.

Nathan Sim is led off to prison. Image: DC Thomson.

The discussions centred around whether Sim should be placed under life-long restrictions – meaning he would be subject to risk management for the rest of his life when he is eventually released from prison.

The order is designed to protect the public from the country’s most dangerous criminals.

As an alternative to a life-long restriction order, Mr Moggach instead asked that Sim be given an extended sentence, citing his client’s young age and need to be rehabilitated.

He said: “The characteristics in this case were alarming, of course they are.

“He is 20 and has to treated as a young person. Young people do not reach maturity properly until their mid-20s.”

Judge Buchanan spoke about a court-ordered report on Sim and how the author said he was showing “traits of narcissism” and has an “entirely unstable personality”.

Mr Moggach interjected: “Traits that may not go on to develop.”

‘Someone who has the propensity to endanger the public’

Judge Buchanan also said Sim was “steadfastly maintaining his innocence” of committing any offending and questioned the effectiveness of rehabilitation to “dampen the propensity that he obviously has”.

“He has a sexual preoccupation,” the judge continued. “He does not accept a rape or sexual assault took place – and was adamant it was consensual.

“He thought it was a ‘good laugh’ to wear a mask, threaten him with a BB gun and had ‘punched **** out of him’ as he said in the witness box.

“That is a deeply disturbing idea is it not?

“It discloses this deep personality traits that are concerning – someone who has the propensity to endanger the public at large.”

Sim appeared via video link and sat throughout the hour-long debate staring straight ahead.

Judge Buchanan thanked Mr Moggach for the discussion and said he would deliver his sentence after “some thought” on Friday November 29.