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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Castration 'may help stop rapist' | Castration 'may help stop rapist' |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| A sex offender who raped a 14-year-old boy who was playing truant from school has suggested "chemical castration" may stop him carrying out future attacks. | A sex offender who raped a 14-year-old boy who was playing truant from school has suggested "chemical castration" may stop him carrying out future attacks. |
| Jonathan Bermingham, 19, who prefers to be known as Jonathan Ross, was given a lifelong restriction order for the attack in Falkirk. | Jonathan Bermingham, 19, who prefers to be known as Jonathan Ross, was given a lifelong restriction order for the attack in Falkirk. |
| Judge Lord Uist sentenced him to serve four-and-a-half years in detention. | Judge Lord Uist sentenced him to serve four-and-a-half years in detention. |
| Ross, who also attacked a nine-year-old boy in 2002, has been on the sex offenders register since the age of 13. | Ross, who also attacked a nine-year-old boy in 2002, has been on the sex offenders register since the age of 13. |
| Frances McMenamin QC, defending, told the High Court in Edinburgh that her client recognised he had problems controlling his sexual urges. | Frances McMenamin QC, defending, told the High Court in Edinburgh that her client recognised he had problems controlling his sexual urges. |
| She said: "Ross himself has raised the issue of whether what he calls 'chemical castration' might be helpful to him." | She said: "Ross himself has raised the issue of whether what he calls 'chemical castration' might be helpful to him." |
| Advocate depute Iain McSporran had told an earlier court hearing that Ross approached the boy at Glenfuir Road in Falkirk on 12 June last year. | Advocate depute Iain McSporran had told an earlier court hearing that Ross approached the boy at Glenfuir Road in Falkirk on 12 June last year. |
| He said: "The accused gave the impression of also being a schoolboy playing truant, saying he didn't want to hide there because police would find him and that he would show him a better place to hide." | He said: "The accused gave the impression of also being a schoolboy playing truant, saying he didn't want to hide there because police would find him and that he would show him a better place to hide." |
| Ross himself has raised the issue of whether, what he calls 'chemical castration', might be helpful to him Frances McMenamin QC | Ross himself has raised the issue of whether, what he calls 'chemical castration', might be helpful to him Frances McMenamin QC |
| After luring the child to a small wooded area, the accused told him to sit down and demanded "let me kiss you". | After luring the child to a small wooded area, the accused told him to sit down and demanded "let me kiss you". |
| When the child began to shout for help, Ross told him "shout and you're dead". | When the child began to shout for help, Ross told him "shout and you're dead". |
| He then raped the boy before leaving the scene. | He then raped the boy before leaving the scene. |
| The boy, who now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, was hysterical when he got home and told his sister he had been raped. | The boy, who now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, was hysterical when he got home and told his sister he had been raped. |
| Ross was caught after DNA samples linked him with the attack. | Ross was caught after DNA samples linked him with the attack. |
| The court was told that the accused comes from a notorious family of sex offenders. | |
| Ms McMenamin said: "If the courts were to look for some explanation for why Ross finds himself in court today one does not have to delve very deeply." | Ms McMenamin said: "If the courts were to look for some explanation for why Ross finds himself in court today one does not have to delve very deeply." |
| Strict supervision | Strict supervision |
| She said Ross had grown up in "a highly sexualised environment" and had never learned appropriate sexual behaviour. | She said Ross had grown up in "a highly sexualised environment" and had never learned appropriate sexual behaviour. |
| Ms McMenamin added that Ross recognised there would be a weighty sentence attached to the crime: "Because of the gravity of the offence and because of the whole background in this case which, I think it has to be recognised, is in a league of its own." | Ms McMenamin added that Ross recognised there would be a weighty sentence attached to the crime: "Because of the gravity of the offence and because of the whole background in this case which, I think it has to be recognised, is in a league of its own." |
| Lord Uist, who had sentenced Ross for the previous attack on a nine-year-old boy, told him that a report into his crimes had concluded he was "highly likely" to commit further serious sexual offences against young males. | Lord Uist, who had sentenced Ross for the previous attack on a nine-year-old boy, told him that a report into his crimes had concluded he was "highly likely" to commit further serious sexual offences against young males. |
| The judge imposed a lifelong restriction order, with a punishment period of four-and-a-half years in custody. | The judge imposed a lifelong restriction order, with a punishment period of four-and-a-half years in custody. |
| Upon his release from prison he will remain under strict supervision for the rest of his life. | Upon his release from prison he will remain under strict supervision for the rest of his life. |