FATHER OF TWO JAILED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN EDINBURGH

A North-East father-of-two, Gary Wilson, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl he contacted through a social networking website. The High Court in Paisley, Scotland, was informed that Wilson, aged 42 and from Trimdon Colliery in County Durham, initially believed the girl was 16 when they first made contact on Faceparty. He arranged to meet her and booked a flat in Edinburgh in January 2006, where they engaged in sexual activity twice. They later met in hotels in Kinross and Edinburgh for sex. Their last encounter occurred in May 2006 when Wilson stopped his car in woods near the Pentland Hills after purchasing an aerosol, and the girl was high on its contents when they had sex. Police were alerted in September 2006 after the girl's mother discovered a note with cash. Investigations uncovered chat logs from Wilson’s internet conversations with the girl, leading to his confession during a police search. The court was told, "The girl initially told you that she was 16, but on the final occasion, she said she was 15. On the internet, one can be whoever one chooses to pretend to be. Adults have a responsibility to protect children, including from themselves. I am not satisfied that you recognised that. I regard you as guilty of child abuse of a most serious kind." Wilson pleaded guilty to having unlawful sex with the girl on five occasions and was sentenced to 40 months. Two other men, Martin Murray and Daniel Walker, were also jailed for abusing the girl, with Murray receiving 18 months and Walker two years. All three men were given extended sentences, requiring them to meet certain criteria after release.