June 2014

Teenager escapes a custodial sentence after abusing 6 year old girl for over 4 years

A talented young musician who admitted sexually abusing a young girl has been placed on probation for two years.

Robin Brandon-Turner touched the girl and made her perform a sex act on him when she was aged between six and 10.

The 18-year-old, from Dunoon, Argyll, committed the offences in Rothesay. He was caught after the victim confided in a friend.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Brandon-Turner was ordered to attend a programme to address his behaviour.

A previous hearing at the High Court in Glasgow heard that Brandon-Turner described his offending “as experimenting when he was younger” when police interviewed him.

He later told a psychologist that his arrest had caused a sense of relief.

Passing sentence, judge Lord Lord Turnbull told Brandon-Turner that he would be required to behave and to conform to directions from a supervising officer including over attending sexual behaviour programmes.

The judge said: “It is not necessary for me to stress the serious nature of the offending to which you have pled guilty.

“The fact that these proceedings have been brought in the High Court is sufficient to underline that adequately.”

Lord Turnbull said it would be clear to Brandon-Turner as “an intelligent, young man” that such behaviour normally resulted in “a lengthy custodial sentence”.

The judge said that was partly because of the emotional damage which was inflicted and “to reflect society’s abhorrence of such conduct”.

But he said he considered it was also important that Brandon-Turner’s behaviour was addressed through a programme.

The judge said there were unusual and unfortunate factors in the teenager’s background that he took into account and that he has already endured “a self-imposed punitive regime”.

The court heard that the teenager held ambitions to be a world class oboe player.

Defence counsel Donald MacLeod QC said Brandon-Turner had been living by himself in Argyll, leading a “rather, isolated life” and concentrating on trying to improve as a musician.

Mr MacLeod urged the judge to take an exceptional course in the case with a non-custodial disposal.

March 2014

Young musician admits sex abuse charges

A talented young musician who admitted sexually abusing a young girl told police he had been “experimenting”.

Robin Brandon-Turner touched the girl and made her perform a sex act on him when she was aged between six and 10.

The 18-year-old, from Dunoon, Argyll, committed the offences in Rothesay. He was caught after the victim confided in a friend.

At the High Court in Glasgow, sentence on Brandon-Turner was deferred for background reports.

Advocate depute Richard Goddard, prosecuting, told the court:

“He is a gifted and dedicated musician and his aim is to play oboe in an orchestra.

“He abused the complainer by sexual touching and this happened about four times a month.”

The court was told that when the girl was aged between seven and 10 he made her perform oral sex on him.

When confronted by police, he described his behaviour as “experimenting” and said he was glad it had come to light.

Defence QC Donald McLeod said: “He regrets what he did and is ashamed of his behaviour.”