MITCHELL OWEN, DUNDEE PREDATOR, SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN DUNDEE
In December 2019, a man identified as Mitchell Owen, a known sex offender from Dundee, was sentenced to prison for engaging in a sexual relationship with a vulnerable 15-year-old girl.Owen, aged 25, was classified as a high-risk predator by police due to his previous convictions and the nature of his latest offense.
According to court reports, Owen lured the young girl to his residence in Charleston, Dundee, where he engaged in sexual activity with her.
During the visit, Owen instructed her that it was a “house rule” that she could not wear a top, a demand that underscored his manipulative and controlling behavior.
The court was told that Owen was fully aware of the girl’s age but was driven solely by his own emotional and sexual needs, disregarding her vulnerability and the potential harm he was causing.
The alarm was raised by a teacher at the girl’s school after overhearing her mention that she was in a relationship with an older man.
The girl confided in the teacher that she had lost her virginity to Owen, which prompted further investigation.
It was revealed that Owen and the girl had exchanged messages on Facebook prior to their meeting, and the sexual encounter took place on February 5.
Owen’s criminal history includes previous convictions related to sexual offenses involving young females.
His police profile categorizes him as a “high risk” sex offender, emphasizing the danger he poses to the community.
The court heard that Owen had been in contact with the girl through social media, and his actions were motivated by his own sexual gratification rather than any concern for her well-being.
During the sentencing hearing, Owen’s solicitor, Jim Laverty, stated that Owen had pleaded guilty, which spared witnesses from giving evidence, including the vulnerable girl involved.
Laverty argued that incarceration might not be the most effective means of protecting the public long-term, citing the limited availability of rehabilitation programs like the Moving Forward Making Changes initiative within custodial settings.
Despite this, Sheriff Martin-Brown decided on a custodial sentence, emphasizing the seriousness of the offense.
Owen was sentenced to 20 months in prison and was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years.
Additionally, he was subjected to a five-year sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with females under 17.
The order also restricts him from possessing more than one internet-connected device, which must be regularly checked by police to prevent further misconduct.
In a related case from November 2019, Owen was also accused of telling the same underage girl that having sex was a “house rule” she had to follow, specifically that she should remove her top.
This incident, along with the recent conviction, highlights Owen’s pattern of predatory behavior and his repeated targeting of young females in Dundee.
The court proceedings have underscored the importance of safeguarding vulnerable minors from individuals like Owen, whose actions have caused significant harm and concern within the community.
