A man has been cleared of raping a 15-year-old girl at his Aberdeen flat – but a jury found him guilty of having sex with her.
Blair Thomson, 23, was also found guilty of having sex with a 13-year-old girl and also of sending and sharing indecent images with five girls, all under the age of 16.
The jury at the High Court in Aberdeen returned a not proven verdict to the rape claim, which was alleged to have taken place at his former home in Urquhart Road in August 2017.
Jurors instead declared him guilty of an alternative charge of having sex with an older child.
In evidence on Monday, the girl, who cannot be named, told the court the pair had met through social media when she was 15.
She claimed he forced her to clean his flat before taking her phone from her, locking the door and forcing himself upon her.
Thomson, however, argued the sex was consensual and that she had concealed her true age from him.
Unemployed construction labourer Thomson told the jury how he “froze” when he realised the girl was just 15 and still at school and he ceased contact.
Started having sex with an even younger girl
Two years later Thomson began having sex with the 13-year-old girl at his home in Northfield Place.
Giving evidence he admitted knowing she was 13 when they first made contact in the summer of 2019, again through social media.
He also shared intimate pictures with her and encouraged her to share naked photographs of herself using Snapchat.
Thomson said he relied on the girl for emotional support but after realising he was “doing something wrong” he stopped contact.
It took the jury of nine women and six men around five hours to reach a verdict.
Thomson, of Northfield Place, was found guilty of two charges of having sex with an older child and also five charges of sending and sharing indecent communications with five girls, all under the age of 16.
‘He was accepting of his guilt and wrongs’
Defence counsel David Moggach said his client had offered a “full, candid and honest account of what took place” and suggested there may be other punishments options besides imprisonment available.
He added: “He was accepting of his guilt and his wrongs and knew a sentence would follow.
“It’s my respectful submission that when proper scrutiny is made to all the background and the possible disposals, it’s not inevitable that a significant custodial sentence be imposed.
“I do think background reports will be revealing and helpful when it comes to sentencing and I do think he should remain at liberty.”
Lord Harrower ordered Thomson be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and asked for background reports to be carried out.
Thomson, whose bail was continued, will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday July 27.