Police have hailed the conviction of a Highland man, jailed after sexually assaulting young girls.
William Ringland, from Lochaber, was jailed for five years yesterday at Edinburgh High Court for charges including a number of serious sexual offences involving girls between the ages of 13 and 16.
Ringland first became known to officers following the reported rape of a 16-year-old girl in 2015 and after an investigation, the full extent of his crimes became clear.
He preyed on a number of young girls and sexually abused them before being found guilty in Glasgow High Court in August.
Detective Inspector Nicola Mackenzie of the Public Protection Unit said: “This is a prime example of Child Sexual Exploitation in its rawest form. Ringland approached vulnerable young girls and took advantage of them.
“Police Scotland actively target criminals who exploit our children to ensure they are brought to justice. There is no hiding place for criminals who target the children in our communities, committing sexual abuse including abuse committed and viewed via the internet.
“As part of Police Scotland’s commitment to keeping people safe I’d urge anyone with concerns about a child or young person’s safety to contact Police, Social Work or the NSPCC.”
Detective Chief Inspector Vincent McLaughlin, Chair of Highland Child Protection Committee added:
“This was a protracted joint investigation carried out by Social Workers of Highland Council and Detectives from the Public Protection Unit in Highland and Islands Division.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to those individuals who pose the greatest risk of harm: you will be actively targeted and those who seek to sexually exploit children or young people can expect a robust response from all child protection agencies in our local Child Protection Committees.”
He added: “We are acutely aware of the potential impact these types of crimes have on victims and will ensure by the use of specially trained officers that they receive a tailored, sensitive approach on every occasion.”
