A teenage rapist who preyed on younger children has avoided detention after a judge told him he considered it was important he continues to get treatment.
The 16-year-old, who had told a 10-year-old boy to carry out a sex act on him or he would tell on him, earlier admitted sexually assaulting two children at different houses in Dundee.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard the victim “was visibly upset and crying at this point”.
The boy, who cannot be identified because of changes made to the law by the Scottish Parliament, earlier admitted sexually assaulting the boy on November 15 in 2014.
He also pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting another boy who was aged 10 or 11 when he was asleep at another house in the city earlier that year.
A judge told him yesterday that he would impose a community payback order on him for 19 months during which time he would have to live at an education centre and be under supervision.
Nigel Morrison QC said: “The community payback order is a punishment that requires you to pay back to the community for the offences you have committed and it is an alternative to a custodial sentence.”
The judge said: “I think it is important you continue to receive the treatment you are receiving.”
He added if the boy did not comply with the order it could be revoked and the teenager could be sent to detention.
Advocate depute Jane Farquharson told the court the teenager had committed the first offence when he was aged 14 and was now at a school where therapeutic work can take place.
The prosecutor said the teenager, a first offender, had had “a chaotic life” at his family home in Dundee and after making an allegation that he was assaulted by his mother was removed from the house.
Defence solicitor advocate Jack Brown said the sex offender was “an immature and confused young man”.
The teenager will be on the sex offenders register for 19 months.