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| Mother 'knew about under-age sex' | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A mother who allowed her 14-year-old daughter to have sex with her boyfriend in the family home has claimed she was trying to protect her. | A mother who allowed her 14-year-old daughter to have sex with her boyfriend in the family home has claimed she was trying to protect her. |
| The woman, who cannot be named, wrote to a local newspaper to defend her actions after details emerged during a court case at Duns Sheriff Court. | The woman, who cannot be named, wrote to a local newspaper to defend her actions after details emerged during a court case at Duns Sheriff Court. |
| Daniel Balfour, 22, was placed on the sex offenders register after admitting having under-age sex with the girl. | |
| The mother said her actions meant she had some control over the situation. | The mother said her actions meant she had some control over the situation. |
| Balfour's lawyer had told the court his client was allowed to stay at the girl's house in a Berwickshire village, three or four nights a week. | Balfour's lawyer had told the court his client was allowed to stay at the girl's house in a Berwickshire village, three or four nights a week. |
| Sheriff Kevin Drummond deferred sentence until January and placed Balfour on the sex offenders register for five years. | |
| A parent has neglected her responsibility for the welfare of her child Bill AitkenConservative justice spokesman | A parent has neglected her responsibility for the welfare of her child Bill AitkenConservative justice spokesman |
| The mother's attitude has caused concern among politicians, who said she should have called in police when she first became aware that the couple were having a sexual relationship. | The mother's attitude has caused concern among politicians, who said she should have called in police when she first became aware that the couple were having a sexual relationship. |
| South of Scotland SNP MSP Christine Grahame said: "This is completely outrageous. | South of Scotland SNP MSP Christine Grahame said: "This is completely outrageous. |
| "There is a major difference to not knowing and consenting to your 14-year-old daughter having sex. | "There is a major difference to not knowing and consenting to your 14-year-old daughter having sex. |
| "This girl is in need of care and protection from her mother's values, which appear to be upside down. | "This girl is in need of care and protection from her mother's values, which appear to be upside down. |
| "The male has been dealt with by the court and rightly so. | "The male has been dealt with by the court and rightly so. |
| "The issue here is the mother's consent to this and knowingly having a sexual relationship in the house." | "The issue here is the mother's consent to this and knowingly having a sexual relationship in the house." |
| Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken said "I find this woman's attitude astonishing. | Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken said "I find this woman's attitude astonishing. |
| I felt I was between a rock and a hard place The mother | I felt I was between a rock and a hard place The mother |
| "It is for her to influence and indeed control her daughter's behaviour. | "It is for her to influence and indeed control her daughter's behaviour. |
| "The girl is only 14 for heaven's sake. | "The girl is only 14 for heaven's sake. |
| "This is quite a depressing story where a parent has neglected her responsibility for the welfare of her child." | "This is quite a depressing story where a parent has neglected her responsibility for the welfare of her child." |
| But in a letter to a newspaper, the mother said: "Do you know what your 14-year-old daughter is doing? Well I do." | But in a letter to a newspaper, the mother said: "Do you know what your 14-year-old daughter is doing? Well I do." |
| She said she had tried to stop the relationship on many occasions but it had carried on behind her back. | She said she had tried to stop the relationship on many occasions but it had carried on behind her back. |
| "As many mothers know, you can't lock a 14-year-old in their room until they are 16," she said. | "As many mothers know, you can't lock a 14-year-old in their room until they are 16," she said. |
| "After finding out the lad was 22, I did all I could to get them to end the relationship as did her father. | "After finding out the lad was 22, I did all I could to get them to end the relationship as did her father. |
| 'Joint decision' | 'Joint decision' |
| "It was a joint decision to let the relationship continue, not just mine. | "It was a joint decision to let the relationship continue, not just mine. |
| "I would rather know where my daughter is and who she is with than have her running around the streets getting into trouble." | "I would rather know where my daughter is and who she is with than have her running around the streets getting into trouble." |
| The woman insisted she was trying to protect her child. | The woman insisted she was trying to protect her child. |
| "As much as I didn't like the situation, I felt that by keeping them close, I could monitor the situation rather than them running away behind my back," she said. | "As much as I didn't like the situation, I felt that by keeping them close, I could monitor the situation rather than them running away behind my back," she said. |
| "This is a young girl who met him and thinks she is in love. | "This is a young girl who met him and thinks she is in love. |
| "Tell me what I should do? I felt I was between a rock and a hard place." | "Tell me what I should do? I felt I was between a rock and a hard place." |
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