A member of the British Army who decided to meet a teenager for sex knowing he was underage was jailed for 20 months at Perth Sheriff Court.
Alexander Gemmell, 29, of Beechgrove Place, Perth, who is based at Leuchars in Fife, was told by Sheriff Lindsay Foulis that legislation is made to “protect vulnerable” teenagers who may not have reached maturity and might be struggling with emotional and sexual matters.
Gemmell’s legal agent said it was “inevitable” he would be booted out of the Army following sentence.
The court previously heard how Gemmell began communicating “digitally” with the teenager on the Fab Guys gay and bi-sexual website. The court had heard how the accused described himself as a homosexual and sent correspondence with the teenager on the website.
Police were later contacted by the teenager’s mother and officers took away the teenager’s phone and computer. Police had looked into the matter as part of the national Operation Barlee clampdown.
The court heard that detectives arrived at Leuchars Army base on February 5 when they spoke to the accused and he admitted the offences.
Gemmell had admitted that between August 24, last year and January 24 this year, at his home address, he intentionally sent a sexual communication to a boy under the age of 16, corresponded with him on a gay and bi-sexual website for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification and with a view to meeting him to engage in sex.
He also admitted that he engaged in sexual activity with the boy on derelict land in Perth.
Solicitor Hazel McGuinness, defending, said her client’s “internal inhibitors” took over and the “urgency” to meet the teenager “overcame” him.
“My client registered on an adult dating site and didn’t seek someone underage,” she said.
“However, he knows he should have stopped correspondence when the teenager told him his age. My client is ashamed and is aware of the consequences of his actions.
“It’s inevitable he will be no longer be employed in the Army after this.”
Sentencing Gemmell, Sheriff Foulis told him: “Legislation is there to protect teenagers who may be vulnerable. They are developing physically, emotionally and sexually and have not yet fully matured — they have to be protected.
“The issue of consent is neither here nor there — it’s irrelevant.
“You knew this teenager was underage but two days later you met him for a liaison.”
Gemmell was also put on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
