A CONVICTED child sex offender who went on to “systematically groom” three teenage schoolboys has been jailed for three years.
Carlisle Crown Court heard today (TUES) how, over a period of eight months last year, 63-year-old James Bilsland McGill befriended the boys, showering them with gifts and offering invites to attend his home.
More than a decade earlier, in October, 2007, McGill had been jailed for seven years by a judge at Preston Crown Court for serious sexual assaults on boys against under 16.
It was also ordered that he should be made subject to an indefinite sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) which banned him both from having unsupervised contact with children aged under 16 and allowing any youngsters to be in his home.
The court heard today how McGill was later given an extra, 18-month prison term after breaching the strict terms of that order, and also told he must ensure that approved monitoring software was installed on any internet accessible devices in his possession.
But his further offending came to light as parents of the three boys found out about his persistent illegal approaches during 2018.
And McGill was sentenced today (TUES) after he admitted 16 further breaches of the SOPO – 14 covering his unsupervised contact with the boys, and two reflecting his possession of devices without monitoring software fitted.
He was jailed for three years by Judge Peter Davies, who said of the schoolboys: “They were systematically groomed by you – there is no other way of putting it.”
Judge Davies added: “Despite the substantial amount of custody you have served, you still persist with having a latent and patent sexual interest in boys.”
The SOPO will remain in force, and McGill, of Lazonby, must also continue to sign the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.
Detective Constable Gary Taylor said: “McGill was persistent in his grooming of several boys over a period of eight months last year.
“He knew what he was doing was illegal and in breach of the requirements set out as part of a sexual offences prevention order that was issued to him previously.
“We are pleased that he is now in prison and will be unable to cause any further harm to the boys involved in this case.
“I hope that today’s sentencing provides the boys involved and their respective families some form of closure.”
