Creepy paedo dad who groomed Scots schoolgirl moved 400 miles to be closer to her
James Gillies, made contact with the Kirriemuir-based child through Instagram after breaking up with his long-term partner in Gwynedd, Wales.
A cunning paedophile groomed a 14-year-old girl before moving 400 miles to live in the same Scottish town as her and target her for sexual abuse.
James Gillies, made contact with the Kirriemuir-based child through Instagram after breaking up with his long-term partner in Gwynedd, Wales.
He has been locked up after he admitted spending months grooming the child before sexually assaulting her on a bus when they were the only passengers. Fiscal depute Andrew Brown told Dundee Sheriff Court that Gillies was vaguely known to the girl and she showed his initial contact message to a member of her family.
"He asked what she was up to," Mr Brown said. "She was advised not to reply, but she ignored that advice and replied. The conversation then moved on to Snapchat.
"The accused sent naked images of himself, of his penis, and dressed only in boxers. They looked like they were taken in a bathroom or shower.
"He stated he was moving to Kirriemuir and had ended a 13-year relationship as there was no sexual chemistry with his partner and he didn't like living in Wales.
"He asked her to be his girlfriend and asked her to marry him. Her mother found out and was not happy about this and they fell out," the fiscal depute said.
"In February 2024 the accused moved to Kirriemuir. They began meeting regularly at the bandstand in the public park. This was between 8 and 9 at night or during school hours.
"She would skip school or they would meet at the lunch break. He would kiss her lips and neck. He would unzip her gilet and put his hands up her top, kissing and sucking her breasts. She stated she was not ready for this."
Mr Brown said they were on a bus together when Gillies digitally penetrated her vagina, which she later said had left her "freaked out."
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The girl was upset by what Gillies had done and she told a friend who reported it to her mother. Social workers also received a report about her being seen holding hands with an older man.
Gillies told police he enjoyed the attention and said: "I admit to it. Sometimes I encouraged her and if someone did the same to my daughters they would be a dirty man.
"I should never have done it because of her age. I'm 42 and she's 14." Mr Brown said: "He stated he wished it had never happened, but said there was no point lying about it."
Gillies admitted that between 1 October 2023 and 1 February 2024 he coerced the girl into looking at sexual images by sending her pictures of his naked body and penis.
He also admitted that on two occasions in February last year he engaged in sexual activity with the schoolgirl and he was remanded in custody for background reports.
Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith deferred sentence for reports and said: "The court is faced with a man, who, at the age of 42 engaged a 14-year-old girl in communication and travelled from Wales to Scotland.
"He formed a relationship with a girl he knew to be under the age of consent. Custody is inevitable," he said, as he described Gillies' behaviour as "sinister."
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