SUPPORT WORKER CONVICTED OF SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST TEEN GIRLS IN PERTH
A man who previously worked as a support worker has been convicted of engaging in illegal sexual acts with a 14-year-old girl he met on TikTok, after he exchanged gifts and alcohol with her, a court has heard.Sinto Kuttukkran groomed the teenager online and later met her outside her Perth school, offering her and a friend a ride home.
The girl recounted feeling afraid when he stroked her thigh and kissed her hand during the car journey.
On a subsequent occasion, a few days later, she claimed he grabbed her, kissed her on the lips, and touched her bottom.
During the trial at Perth Sheriff Court, Kuttukkran, 43, denied the charges and attempted to shift blame onto the girl and her friend.
He was found guilty of two counts of unlawful sexual activity involving a minor — the first occurring while he was driving through Perth on March 20, 2025, and the second underneath a railway bridge at Rae Place on March 28.
The girl admitted she knew Kuttukkran from TikTok, and their communication extended through Snapchat.
Their first meeting was in the city centre, where he convinced her to follow him into an alley, giving her a Primark bag containing a Christmas jumper, which she discarded as it was too small.
She explained that after school, he met her and her friend outside, then offered to give them a lift, during which he touched her thigh over her leggings and held her hand for approximately three seconds.
She explained she was too frightened to protest because she was in his car.
She added that he also kissed her hand and that the journey seemed to take longer than necessary, taking them to various locations before finally dropping them off at her friend’s boyfriend's house, which was not on her way home.
A few days later, her friend arranged to meet Kuttukkran under White Bridge, where he had agreed to bring alcohol.
They went beneath the bridge to avoid being seen as he handed them a bottle of alcohol, which appeared to be opened and not purchased from a shop.
The girl described him pulling her closer, placing his hand on her lower back, and kissing her, while also touching her around the bottom area.
She stated she felt uncomfortable, and after a few seconds of kissing, he stopped and left.
The girl, visibly upset, contacted police as they left the scene.
She initially provided a statement but admitted to being untruthful out of fear of getting into trouble for requesting alcohol.
During cross-examination, she mentioned that her friend suggested they use Kuttukkran to obtain alcohol instead of blocking him on social media.
Her solicitor noted that Kuttukkran had used social media to make friends but was unaware of the trouble he was causing.
The defendant’s wife described him as naive and unaware of the serious consequences of his actions.
The sheriff expressed deep concern about his behavior, emphasizing that a support worker and carer role implies trust and responsibility, which Kuttukkran did not uphold.
Sheriff Alison McKay highlighted that he acknowledged his misconduct to social workers but showed no remorse during the trial and attempted to blame the young victims.
She pointed out the gravity of his position, given his work in caring roles.
Sentencing included a three-year supervision order, 200 hours of unpaid work, engagement with the Tay Project for sex offenders, and a three-year stay on the sex offenders register.
Additionally, a non-harassment order was issued, preventing him from contacting the victim or her friend for three years.
