A TEENAGER has admitted having sex with three children in Dundee.
Kyle Leonard, 19, committed the offences on separate occasions between the winter of 2013 and the spring of 2014, Dundee Sheriff Court heard.
He admitted to having sex with a child on various occasions between early 2013 and late 2013 at a property in Dundee.
He further admitted having sex with another child at another location within the city between 2013 and 2014.
And he admitted a charge of having sex with a third child over the course of two months in 2014 at another property in Dundee.
Sentence for Leonard — whose address was given in court as Polmont Prison — was deferred for reports until May 17.
Meanwhile, Leonard also appeared on a charge that he shouted and swore inside Dundee Sheriff Court on a date earlier this year.
The former Lawton Terrace resident admitted that, on February 4, at the court, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner — which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm — in that he repeatedly shouted and swore.
He committed the offence while he was on bail.
Sentence on that was also deferred until May 17.
Laurie Matthew, of Dundee-based Eighteen and Under, says her charity offers support to those who have been victims of cases like these.
She said: “A person of that age is very impressionable and would possibly be flattered by the attention of a young man.
“The child would not have the social skills or life experience, though, to manage such a relationship.
“A child would find it difficult to resist pressures to have sex as it would be outwith the youngster’s experience.
“While the child might be unaware of how this might affect them at the time due to being emotionally immature, the chances are that children who have experienced this might well end up with emotional and psychological problems.
“In Dundee there is support for young survivors of such abuse.
“Eighteen And Under provides a high level of confidential support and young people can just drop in of an evening or make an appoint, if preferred.
“There is also Victim Support and WRASAC who also provide support.”
She added: “Regarding the offender, not enough work is done to stop these men reoffending and unfortunately their sentencing does not reflect the seriousness of the crime.
“Abuse can affect survivors their whole lives but these men often only spend a few months in prison.”
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