A Fife paedophile has been sent to prison for breaching strict court orders for sex offenders for the second time.
He was warned in July he faced time behind bars if he continued to flaunt the rules.
Craig Hamilton sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl before asking her to marry him.
In March he pled guilty to sexually assaulting the girl by penetration at addresses in Fife on occasions between April 2021 and January last year.
The court originally placed him on a three-year supervision order, with conditions relating to relationships and internet use.
Following his latest breach, Sheriff James Williamson told him “This is a serious matter in which you groomed and thereafter abused a child.”
Hamilton, of Burnside Street, Rosyth, was sent to prison for 30 months.
The sentence was greeted by mutterings of “beast” from the public gallery at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
Last chance
Sheriff Williamson had previously called Hamilton “devious and dangerous”.
Following his first breach he told the predator: “You pled guilty to the sexual assault of a child – a child then aged 11.
“You pled guilty to sexual assault by penetration.
“You groomed the child.
“I considered you then – and consider you now – to be devious and dangerous.
“You seem to think you are sufficiently intelligent to pull the wool over the professionals’ eyes.
“Don’t think when you leave the court today you’ve got away with it.”
Marriage proposal to 11-year-old
The court originally heard how Hamilton had showered the girl with gifts, including perfume and a nail kit.
Her mother later discovered Hamilton had also been messaging the girl directly.
Fiscal depute Alistair McDermid said: “The complainer’s mother opened Snapchat and read the unopened message, which was from a number named ‘best friend’.
“It showed a picture of a man’s legs and said ‘Will you marry me?’ with a ring emoji.
“Later that morning she challenged her daughter about the messages but she denied anything was going on.”
Shortly afterwards, the girl told her mother Hamilton had touched her sexually.
When arrested, the now-20-year-old told officers: “It was wrong and it shouldn’t have happened.”
For more local court content visit our dedicated page, or join us on Facebook.
