A man who had sexual trysts with a 14-year-old girl has escaped detention after saying his victim had been “willingly engaged” in the behaviour.
Sean Thomson told the court he knew his victim was under age but said he was surprised when she turned out to be even younger than she had told him.
In his letter pleading guilty, Thomson said: “I wasn’t aware of her age. I thought she was 15. I was shocked when I found out she was 13.”
The 19-year-old, from Princes Croft, Coupar Angus, admitted engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl in Perthshire during December 2013.
He also admitted sending her social media messages making comments about his genitals and asking her to send him photographs of her naked breasts in January last year.
Solicitor Kevin Lancaster, defending, said: “People in the age group he is in do not always realise the consequences of engaging in that type of communication. He has now reflected on that and realised the inappropriateness of it.
“The complainer willingly engaged in the behaviour and may have been engaged in similar behaviour with other parties.”
Sheriff William Wood placed Thomson under supervision and put him on the sex offenders register for two years, as well as ordering him to attend the Tay Project for sex offenders.