December 2014 Blantyre man guilty of assaulting schoolgirl and placed on register A Blantyre man was last week found guilty of sexually assaulting a schoolgirl at a house in the town. John Laird, of Glenfruin Road, was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register. He had gone on trial last week accused of assaulting the teenager by handling her breast over her clothing in June last year. The 56-year-old had pleaded not guilty to a charge under section three of the Sexual Offences Act 2009. However, Sheriff Carole Cunninghame found him guilty of the offence following a summary trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court. Police forensic scientist Jamie Horsburgh had told Hamilton Sheriff Court last week he had been asked to carry out an examination of a Superman pyjama top by the procurator fiscal service. Questioned by fiscal depute Lisa Lann, Mr Horsburgh said he examined the inside chest area of the top and the outside back of the top using special adhesive tape which is used to pick up material containing DNA. Fiscal depute Lisa Lann asked him if anything was found in relation to the back of the top. He said there was DNA “from at least three people” and this mix was therefore unsuitable for any “meaningful interpretation”. There were three DNA strands on the inside of the top as well: Laird’s, the girl’s and a third person. This material, he said, provided a better DNA profile. However, there was less material there for the third person and he was not able to identify that DNA. Ms Lann asked Mr Horsburgh if Laird had touched the girl’s breast would there be a match found inside the pyjama top. He replied: “Yes.” Under cross-examination by Laird’s advocate Tony Graham, Mr Horsburgh was asked if it was possible to identify if there had been a direct transfer of DNA from the accused to the inside of the pyjama top, or an indirect transfer (through DNA shed in the background). He replied there was not, but added: “Direct transfer is still possible”. Mr Graham put it to Mr Horsburgh that the amount of DNA allowed a scientist to express a preference (on the mode of DNA transfer). Mr Horsburgh replied that it did, but he agreed that this instance was not one of them. The girl had given evidence at the outset of the trial. After returning her guilty verdict last Wednesday, November 26, Sheriff Cunningham deferred sentence until January 19 for a criminal justice social work report. Laird was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register meantime.