A “sinister and depraved” pervert who asked a five-year-old child to watch him defecate in an Aberdeen garden has been jailed.
Stewart Murray admitted to feeling “good” and getting “some sexual satisfaction” from the sickening episode during the morning of May 17.
The 47-year-old wandered into a garden in Aberdeen where a number of young children were playing and asked a five-year-old girl to show him around.
He then asked the child to watch him as he pulled down his trousers and defecated.
The girl shouted “yuck” and covered her eyes with her hands before her older sister led her away.
He was later caught after police linked him to the crime with DNA evidence.
Sheriff William Summers branded the offence “disgusting, sinister and depraved”.
Murray previously pled guilty to a charge of public indecency over the vile act, as well as a separate matter of breaching a sexual offences prevention order on two occasions by entering female toilets at Aberdeen Sports Village on June 12 and July 17, both 2019.
An order had been made banning him from entering female or unisex toilets after he was convicted of an offence in 2016.
On one occasion at Aberdeen Sports Village he used a unisex sticker to cover up the sign on the female toilet door.
And Murray has now appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to be sentenced in relation to both cases.
Defence agent Paul Barnett described his client as a “complex character with complex psychological makeup”.
He went on: “It’s clear from reports Mr Murray is of very limited intelligence and has a grave learning disability.
“He has an IQ of around 70 which is, in any view, very low.
“It does seem absolutely clear his significant cognitive impairment is a factor in the offences which he has committed.”
Mr Barnett said Murray’s cognitive ability was also a factor in his “tendency to minimise things”.
In relation to the Aberdeen Sports Village incidents, he said: “While he accepts responsibility for these offences, it was never his intention to cause anyone any harm and he didn’t intend touching anyone in any way.”
Referencing a report in relation to the defecation incident, Mr Barnett said: “As a result of the offence he admitted to feeling a good feeling and maybe some sexual satisfaction while it was happening.”
He added Murray had initially given a “fairly ridiculous explanation about having been approached by the child and the child asking if they could watch Mr Murray defecate”.
He said: “I have been through that with Mr Murray and he does not maintain that position.
“It’s symptomatic of him trying to avoid facing up to things which relates back to his significant learning disability.”
Mr Barnett said Murray was “vulnerable” and described his time remanded in custody as “particularly unpleasant”.
He said: “Because he’s vulnerable he’s an easy target for bullying within the prison system. He was the victim of an assault while in custody in relation to this matter. That was notwithstanding that he was on protection at the time.
“It’s fair to say it’s been a hugely unpleasant experience for him.
“It’s clear Mr Murray needs help and would benefit from help if he’s prepared to engage with that. Mr Murray says he would be.”
Sheriff Summers told Murray, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, that he would have jailed him for 12 months, but took into account that he had been remanded for the equivalent of an eight-month sentence over the matter and so jailed him for four months.
Turning to the defecation case, Sheriff Summers said that there had been a significant sexual element, adding: “The offence is disgusting, sinister and depraved.”
He handed Murray a 36-month extended sentence, with 18 months in custody and a further 18 on licence. That sentence was backdated to June 8 when he was first remanded in relation to it.
The sheriff also told Murray he would be made subject to the notification requirements of the sexual offences act for an indefinite period.
Fiscal depute Christy Ward previously told Aberdeen Sheriff Court two girls aged five and seven were playing in their garden along with another young child at around 11.30am on May 17.
She said: “At this time the accused entered the garden.
“After the accused entered the garden he asked the five-year-old and the seven-year-old whether this was their garden.
“They pointed out their area of the garden and thereafter the seven-year-old went to pick flowers with the four-year-old.
“The accused asked the five-year-old to show him around the garden. As she was showing the accused the garden he asked her to watch him defecate.
“She then saw the accused take down his trousers and begin to defecate.
“Due to this she covered her eyes with her hands.
“Upon hearing her exclaim ‘yuck’ the seven-year-old approached the accused and saw that he was defecating.
“She then led the five-year-old away from the accused and they ran into a house.”
Murray was then seen to leave the garden and police were contacted.
Ms Ward added that a DNA analysis proved a match with Murray.
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