Man admits historical underage sex charges

A 50-year-old man who admitted a historic charge of sex with an underage girl had his sentence deferred when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Neil Bolton, of Bircotes, Doncaster, confessed to having a sexual relationship with a girl between March 1989 and March 1990. She was 14 at the time.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie told the court that a relationship developed between the complainer and Bolton, then aged 21.

This “developed into a sexual relationship”, Mr MacKenzie said, though the offences only “came to light in July 2015”.

When police interviewed Bolton he initially “denied knowing the complainer at all” but “clearly now he is accepting his involvement in this behaviour,” the fiscal told the court.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said that Bolton had “cooperated fully” with the court since “pleading guilty by letter”.

Sheriff Philip Mann told Bolton that he would have to obtain legally required background reports “before deciding how to deal with you”.