COREY URQUHART FROM ABERLOUR CONVICTED OF SEXUAL OFFENSES IN DUNDEE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community, Corey Urquhart, a 21-year-old man from Aberlour, was found guilty of heinous sexual offenses involving a young girl in Dundee. The incident, which took place on April 1 of the previous year, involved Urquhart grooming a 10-year-old girl, convincing her that they were in a romantic relationship before subjecting her to a severe sexual assault.

According to court proceedings, Urquhart had spent months manipulating the young girl, who was in primary school at the time. Evidence presented during the three-day trial at Dundee Sheriff Court revealed that Urquhart had engaged in a pattern of grooming behavior, including sending each other messages filled with love hearts, expressing distress at the prospect of separation, and exchanging notes with a phone number tucked inside a heart-shaped tin. These actions painted a clear picture of a relationship that the girl believed was genuine, and which Urquhart described to her as a romantic partnership.

The court heard that Urquhart was caught red-handed with the girl at a flat in Dundee, with witnesses observing him with his trousers down and the partially dressed girl before he attempted to close the door. The evidence was further solidified by DNA analysis, which linked Urquhart to the girl through genetic material found on his underwear. Prosecutors highlighted that the girl exhibited an advanced vocabulary of sexual terms, which they argued was consistent with having been taught by an adult, further implicating Urquhart.

Despite the overwhelming evidence, Urquhart denied all charges, claiming that the girl had fabricated the allegations entirely. However, the jury was convinced of his guilt after just over two hours of deliberation. The judge, Sheriff Alastair Brown, sentenced Urquhart to three years in prison, emphasizing the gravity of the offense. The sheriff stated, “You were quite literally about a millimetre from rape. A 10-year-old child cannot give any kind of consent. Your offence was aggravated because you tried to put the whole responsibility over to the little girl – you told her to come up with an explanation. She has been left in a state of anxiety and she is terrified that you will kidnap her. You deprived her of her sexual innocence.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Urquhart was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely. The court's decision underscores the severity of the crime and the impact it has had on the young victim’s life. The case has also brought to light the dangers of grooming and exploitation, especially involving vulnerable children in communities like Aberlour and Dundee. The community and authorities continue to emphasize the importance of vigilance and safeguarding measures to prevent such tragic incidents from recurring in the future.