A Perth sex fiend who was caught harbouring a missing schoolgirl has been locked up.
Jamie McRae was caught by police with the 15-year-old runaway at his home in Coupar Angus.
The pair were covered in tell-tale love bites.
Investigators discovered explicit photos of the pair on the girl’s phone, where she saved his number under the name “Daddy”.
Months later, McRae sexually assaulted an even younger girl at a house in Perth.
The 23-year-old appeared at the city’s sheriff court and admitted engaging in sexual activity – including posing for sexualised photographs – and having intercourse with an under-age girl in March 2020.
He further pled guilty to a sex attack on a 14-year-old in September that year.
Sheriff Euan Duthie told McRae: “This looks very much like an imprisonable offence.”
McRae was placed on the sex offenders register and remanded in custody until sentencing next month.
Reported missing
Fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie said that the first victim – a 15-year-old girl – left her home in Lincolnshire in the early hours of March 13.
“She travelled by train and bus to meet the accused in Perthshire,” she said.
“She did not tell her mother or social workers of her plans and, as a result, she was reported as missing person.”
Police in England were made aware that the girl may have been with McRae, who was 20 at the time.
“Officers were tasked with visiting the accused’s property in Murray’s Court, Coupar Angus,” said the fiscal depute.
“The girl made comments about kissing the accused and sharing a bed with him.
“Both the complainer and the accused appeared to have love bite marks.”
McRae was arrested but let go, as at this stage no criminality could be established.
Phone records
The pair’s phones were seized as part of ongoing inquiries.
The court heard that McRae’s number was saved in the youngster’s phone as “Daddy”.
Police also found “indecent communications” between the two, Ms Ritchie said.
“There was even talk about impregnating the complainer.
“The accused went into detail about how he was going to have sex with her.”
A series of naked photos of the girl were also stored on her phone.
In some of the pictures, McRae was seen just wearing boxer shorts.
“The accused’s phone had a screenshot of the complainer’s social media page which showed her age was 15,” said Ms Ritchie.
The girl was interviewed and told officers she had met McRae when she was 14.
She said he had engaged in sexual activity with her in March 2020. “That’s pretty much all we did,” she said.
Sex assault
The victim of September’s sex assault was 14 at the time, the court heard.
“She knew the accused through mutual friends,” said Ms Ritchie.
“She had his number stored on her phone as ‘Big Brother’ – she regarded him as a friend who she could go to for advice.”
McRae messaged her while she was at school and told her to come to a property in Perth.
“He told her she could walk into the house and close the door behind her,” the fiscal depute said.
“She went upstairs and met the accused who was sitting on a bed.
“He asked her how school had been.
“Then he pulled her by the shoulders onto the bed.”
Ms Ritchie said: “The accused was on top of her and starting kissing her neck and cheek.”
The girl made an excuse and ran back to school.
“She said she felt she was having a panic attack,” Ms Ritchie said.
She told a teacher about what had happened and police were called.
McRae, of High Street, Perth, was arrested days later.
Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said: “Mr McRae met the first complainer through friends on social media.
“She was having difficulties in her life and social workers were involved.
“He was someone who she thought could help and support her.”
Sheriff Duthie told McRae: “In view of the seriousness of this offence I will not continue bail and you will be remanded in custody.”
