Banff youth group leader abuses boy

A church youth group leader who was convicted in a trial of carrying out sexually inappropriate behaviour with a 14-year-old boy has been sentenced.

Lauren Middleton (30) appeared at Banff Sheriff Court following a five-day trial in January after sentencing had been deferred for background reports.

Middleton, a qualified nurse, of the town’s Addison Crescent, was found guilty of sexually inappropriate behaviour with the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, by repeatedly touching him on the body on a number of occasions at the boy’s home and elsewhere.

She denied the charge against her which took the case to trial.

At the court sentencing hearing, Sheriff Eric Brown told Middleton she knew or should have known that her behaviour was inappropriate.

He said: “The offence involved a gross breach of trust on several levels.”

Sheriff Brown added her defence of denial and her persistence of this was not a mitigating factor.

Middleton’s solicitor Stuart Beveridge outlined that background reports were available for the first offender.

He told the court: “They are very positive. A full report is provided including the devastating effect the conviction has had on her employment and her personal circumstances.”

Sheriff Brown imposed a supervision order of two years, 200 hours of unpaid work and a non-harassment order of five years.

She will also be subject to the notification requirements in the sex offenders register.