A “high risk” Perthshire paedophile who groomed a schoolgirl for sex is bracing for further punishment after he broke a strict court order.
Jamie McRae was jailed in 2022 after a court heard how he had lured a Lincolnshire teenager to his home, sparking a UK-wide hunt.
He groomed the 15-year-old on social media and persuaded her to travel 325 miles to meet him in Coupar Angus.
The 25-year-old had admitted sexual activity with the girl, who had his number listed in her phone as ‘Daddy’.
McRae, who also made his victim pose for sexually explicit photos, also sexually assaulted a second girl, aged 14.
He was jailed for 18 months and placed on the sex offenders register.
But following an appeal, a community payback order was imposed as an alternative to prison.
McRae, of Syndney Crescent, Auchterarder, returned to the dock and admitted failing to notify police about a change in address within three days.
Perth Sheriff Court heard he had been staying at his partner’s address in Leeds for nearly two weeks in November last year.
He later confessed to social workers during a regulated meeting at St Martn’s House, Perth on November 27 last year.
The court heard he was assessed as a “high risk” sex offender.
Sheriff William Wood deferred sentencing until next month for further background reports.
Carer stole from disabled client
A crooked Angus carer pinched a vulnerable client’s bank card and used it to withdraw £1,400.
Mum-of-three Kelly Walker appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court and pled guilty to stealing from her 64-year-old victim at an assisted living facility in Carnoustie.
The 44-year-old, who “minimised” her actions to social workers, has now been ordered repay the cash in full before she is sentenced later this month.
Solicitor Billy Rennie said the theft had been a “shocking development” for his client.
Sentence was deferred for reports.
Stab threat
A Cowdenbeath teenager threatened to “stab the life out of” his ex’s dad, a court has heard.
The 17-year-old, who can not be named, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to plead guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on June 16 this year.
He admitted repeatedly contacting his former partner by phone call and text message, shouting, swearing, and uttering threats of violence and offensive remarks.
Prosecutor Brogan Moffat told the court the pair were out drinking and argued before he later tried calling her about five times.
She answered once and he called her a liar before hanging up.
She tried to message him to resolve things but there was a further argument through messages.
He phoned her back and “threatened to beat up her dad,” the fiscal said.
Through further messages, the accused stated: “I will f***ing come down and will stab the life out of him.
“Get your dad up to my door right now and see what f***ing happens.
“I’m not joking when I say this, but his life is f***ing over.
“I will f***ing annihilate him. I will f***ing end his life”.
Police were contacted and he was charged.
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said both families felt the relationship was unhealthy and it was accepted to be at an end.
Sheriff Krista Johnston told the teenager: “You are a very young man still, and have your whole life ahead of you and to come before the court at your age and get a conviction, a criminal record, is sad – but that’s what you now have”.
The sheriff said she would give him a chance and deferred sentence for six months for him to be of good behaviour.
Sheriff Johnston said that, if he is and adheres to a bail condition not to contact his ex, he can expect to be dealt with more leniently.
Christian camp raider
A drug fiend broke into a Christian youth camp in rural Perthshire and made off with a safe filled with young campers’ mobile phones.
One-man crimewave John Forbes was just three weeks out of jail when he carried out a midnight raid on the Teen Ranch activities centre near Inchture.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the 43-year-old loaded an office safe into a stolen car, before making his getaway.
The parent of one youngster helped police track down the vehicle using their Find My Phone app.
Forbes appeared in the dock and admitted breaking into the camp at Ballindean on April 12.
He further pled guilty to further break-ins on the same morning at the Carmichael Care Home, Dundee, and the Birkhill Inn.
Copper thief
A serial thief caught looting copper tanks from a Dundee demolition site has been sentenced.
Grandfather Charles Forbes, 37, was caught systematically stealing from a city street slated for demolition in November last year.
His concerted enterprise was brought to a halt when he was caught red-handed inside the secured perimeter of Ellengowan Drive.
Having pled guilty to a string of thefts while on remand at a hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court in May, Forbes returned to the dock to be sentenced after meeting with social workers.
Sheriff George Way said: “He deserves to go to jail, but he’s been there.
“This was an unmitigated campaign of theft.
“He did it time and time and time again.”
The sheriff imposed a four month restriction of liberty keeping Forbes at home between 9pm and 7am and ordered him to complete 180 hours of unpaid work in nine months.
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