A teenager who raped a 12-year-old schoolgirl after communicating with her for about a year on social media repeatedly told police that the victim “lied about her age”.
Callum Rae fled from a house in Dundee wearing only socks when officers turned up after an interview was carried out with the victim.
Advocate depute Jane Farquharson QC told the High Court in Edinburgh: “On their arrival the accused ran out of the rear door of the property wearing only socks on his feet.”
“He ran through the local housing estate chased by police officers. He was apprehended and arrested,” said the prosecutor.
Miss Farquharson said: “When cautioned he immediately replied ‘She lied about her age’.” He was taken to a police car and stated: “I didn’t touch that wee girl. She’s lying, I have plenty of witnesses.”
Rae, who was 19 at the time, suffered a foot injury after his attempted escape and was taken to Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital and in the A&E waiting room told officers: “That wee girl lied about her age so much, man.”
He later gave a “no comment” to police but after he was arrested again said she had lied about her age.
Rae, now 20, today admitted sexually assaulting a child who had not attained the age of 13 on May 15 last year at an address in Dundee and raping her.
He also admitted failing to appear for a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow on August 21 this year.
The court heard that an earlier hearing scheduled for this year was put off because Rae reported to his defence agents that he was showing signs of Covid symptoms and needed to self-isolate.
Following his failure to appear in August a warrant was issued for his arrest and he was detained but a first attempt to get him to appear by video link was postponed after he was again said to be displaying Covid symptoms.
Miss Farquharson said that for about a year prior to the rape Rae had corresponded with the girl through social media such as Snapchat and Facetime.
The prosecutor said: “She believes that at some stage she had told the accused that she was 16 years old.”
On the day before the sexual assault the girl had met with a 16-year-old friend and they consumed vodka which left her feeling “a little drunk”.
Both girls met up with Rae at a Morrison’s supermarket and went back to his accommodation and lay in bed with him.
Rae performed a sex act on both girls and the victim went to the toilet. Rae took part in consensual sexual activity with the teenager.
Rae later had intercourse with the 12-year-old before asking the girls to leave the following morning.
The younger girl later informed her mother that she had sex with a 19-year-old youth, but did not provide any further details at that time. Her mother contacted the police.
The girl was later interviewed and shown a group of images, including that of the accused and she positively identified him.
Defence solicitor advocate Chris Fyffe told the court that Rae had understood the girl to be 16 at the time of the offence.
He said that Rae, who has previous convictions for anti-social behaviour and breach of the peace, has not previously received a custodial sentence.
The judge, Lord Beckett, deferred sentence on Rae for the preparation of a background report. He was placed on the sex offenders’ register and remanded in custody.
