A 26-year-old man, who had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl, then torched her family’s cars as community tensions rose in Kirkcaldy has been jailed.
Ryan Rowan, now 28, of Station Road, Cardenden, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court by video-link from prison for sentencing, having previously admitted that on various occasions in 2023 in Kirkcaldy, a Fife caravan park, Elie and elsewhere, he had sexual intercourse with the teenager.
On September 9 2023, at an address in Kirkcaldy, he poured petrol over two cars, the front wall and pathway of a house, while acting with others and attempted to set fire to the cars and the property.
The next day at a different address in Kirkcaldy, with others, he set fire to a car, destroying it.
Depute fiscal Sarah Smith previously told the court the girl’s parents found out about the relationship but it continued and in the backlash, Rowan’s mother’s car was targeted in a fire attack.
He responded by torching cars belonging to the girl’s relatives.
Defence solicitor Martin McGuire said his client initially believed the girl to be 17 and by the time her true age became known, “there was an emotional bond”.
Sheriff James Williamson said: “The important thing here is that the relationship continued when he was well aware of her age.
“The shifting of the blame on to her in the social work report is unacceptable. She was 14, he was an adult.”
He jailed Rowan for 27 months and put him on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Bit rival’s ear
A Dundee teenager battered his partner in front of terrified children during months of “despicable” abuse. Thomas Mullen, 18, forced his way into the woman’s home and bit a man’s ear, leaving him permanently disfigured, while he held an infant. In addition to the domestic abuse, he had also admitted possessing a zombie knife, repeatedly chasing a rival and setting fire to a car.
Delivery driver rage
An irate delivery driver lashed out at police after he was found to have the wrong insurance for his job.
Stephen Donaldson was also deemed to be driving while unfit through drink or drugs during the heated incident on Hilltown Terrace.
The 46-year-old made a series of bizarre racial slurs at officers, as well as gouging his nails into the arm of PC Matthew Rhynd.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how police noticed Donaldson’s Vauxhall Zafira and found he did not have insurance to carry out the food delivery he was making at Tulloch Court.
Prosecutor Alan Bell said: “The accused was immediately confrontational, shouting and swearing at police.
“He was clearly agitated and shouting through gritted teeth and would not desist.”
Donaldson began to struggle and almost struck a police officer when he kicked the door of the police van.
He made two racial slurs, among other abusive remarks when he was taken to Dunfermline police station.
Donaldson, of Burnside Mill, said: “I am being human trafficked from Dundee to Dunfermline for f*****g what?”
Mr Bell added Donaldson refused to provide a blood sample to ascertain if he was under the influence.
A force medical examiner observed Donaldson and believed he had a drug in his system.
Representing himself, Donaldson appeared from custody on a warrant to admit the charges from May 15 2022.
He was ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Care worker abuse
A former senior support worker at a Perthshire care facility was found guilty of assaulting vulnerable residents after teenage volunteers from Germany raised the alarm about his aggressive behaviour. Graeme Stuart was brought to justice after he was seen losing his temper with disabled adults who relied on his care at the rural Corbenic Camphill Community five years ago.
‘Slave’ caught in sting
A 53-year-old Dunfermline man, who sent sexual images, videos and messages to someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl, is on the sex offenders register for three years.
Stuart Noble’s posts were going straight to a police officer who had set up a decoy fake profile to catch online paedophiles.
Noble, previously of Wedderburn Crescent, but now living in Musselburgh, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for sentencing.
He admitted that between March 7 and 18 last year he repeatedly sent naked photos of an adult male dressed in woman’s clothing, using sexual implements and carrying out sex acts, to someone he believed was a child.
He sent messages repeatedly discussing sex acts and asked for images of the child to be sent and thus attempted to communicate indecently with a child.
Depute fiscal Sarah Smith said Noble, using Kik Messenger, told the decoy account he was submissive, “kinda like a slave” and : “I wish I was kneeling naked at your feet right now miss, ready to do absolutely anything you told me to do regardless of where we were or who was watching.”
He sent explicit photos saying: “I can’t believe I’m sending a 12-year-old nudes.”
When police later searched his home, they found items of clothing worn in the images.
From his car, a large bag containing women’s underwear and sex toys was recovered.
Defence solicitor Aime Allan said her client had suffered from mental health issues and panic attacks.
A social work report said Noble posed a “relatively high risk” of re-offending.
A community payback order with 200 hours of unpaid work and three years of supervision was imposed, with a warning he would be jailed for three years for any breach.
Jesus Christ
A homophobic thug left another man with broken bones in his face after viciously attacking him in Dundee city centre. Christopher Stevenson, 27, called his victim homophobic slurs, while punching and kicking him on the face. He later told police: “Jesus Christ is the son of God”.
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