GERALD NIVEN'S CRIMINAL PAST IN DUNDEE: SEX OFFENDER'S LATEST LEGAL BATTLE AND NEIGHBOURS' FEARS
In October 2015, authorities in Dundee took decisive legal action to prevent Gerald Niven, a convicted sex offender, from engaging in further unlawful activities.The police initiated a court application aimed at imposing stringent restrictions on Niven, who had previously served time for serious offenses involving minors.
Gerald Niven, aged 41 at the time, had a criminal record stemming from a 2011 conviction when he was sentenced to two years in prison.
His crime involved attempting to arrange a meeting with a 14-year-old girl with the intent of engaging in illegal sexual conduct.
The details of his misconduct revealed a disturbing pattern of grooming and predatory behavior.
According to court records, Niven had contacted the young girl via the social networking site Bebo.
During their online interactions, he offered her a sum of £250, explicitly requesting she meet him so he could inflict pain upon her.
The court heard that Niven specified she should wear her school uniform and style her hair in a ponytail for the meeting, indicating a disturbing fixation on her age and appearance.
Further details disclosed that Niven explicitly told the girl he would pay her £180 to physically assault her, specifically to belt her on the behind and hands.
These revelations underscored the severity of his predatory intentions.
The Dundee Sheriff Court was informed that Niven's actions included multiple offers of money to entice the girl into meeting him, although she declined further payments.
Following his conviction, Niven was subjected to a two-year supervision order and was placed on the sex offenders register for a decade.
Sheriff Richard Davidson, presiding over the case, emphasized the gravity of Niven's misconduct, stating, “You knew exactly what age she was when you started using the social network site and you knew what you were proposing to her to get your sexual gratification.” Despite serving his sentence, Niven was released into the community, and concerns among local residents grew.
Neighbors expressed their unease about his presence in their neighborhood, which remains unnamed for legal reasons.
One resident voiced their discomfort, saying, “It was unsettling having him staying nearby.
There are a lot of children living in this street, and ever since we found out he moved to the area, there has been outrage.” He described how the neighborhood had once been a safe haven for children to play freely, but now parents are hesitant to let their children outside due to fears stemming from Niven’s presence.
The resident added, “Every house on the street has signed a petition to have him moved somewhere else because we can’t understand why he has been moved to an area with such a high number of children.” In addition to the ongoing concerns, authorities are seeking to impose a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) on Niven.
This order aims to restrict his behavior, including prohibiting contact with females under 16 without prior approval.
An interim SOPO is currently in effect, with a full hearing scheduled for December to determine the final restrictions.
Historically, Niven’s criminal record includes a previous probation period of three years in 2005 for a similar offense.
His 2011 case involved grooming a schoolgirl, offering her money to meet and inflict pain, and using aliases to conceal his identity.
Police found evidence of his attempts to erase traces of his activities, including a laptop with an evidence eliminator program during a search of his home.
In January 2012, Niven sought to appeal his two-year sentence, claiming it was excessive.
However, his appeal was rejected by the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh.
The judges upheld the original sentence, citing his history of grooming and predatory behavior, and noting that the sentence was appropriate given the circumstances.
The appeal panel, led by Lord Reed, acknowledged that Niven had a pattern of targeting young girls and that the initial sentencing reflected the seriousness of his offenses.
