December 2014
Drumchapel pervert jailed he lured young girls into sex after posing as a female escort
THE son of a businessman lured a young girl into sex after posing as a female escort
Christopher Kirkwood pretended to be “Sheryl Davies” and randomly contacted the 16-year-old online to ask if she would be interested in being a prostitute.
He eventually got the teenager to take part in a seedy “run through” with a friend called “David” — who also turned out to be Kirkwood.
This involved meeting the 27-year-old in a Clydebank car park and performing a sex act.
But police snared Kirkwood and a court heard how he had also contacted two other girls — one aged just 14.
Kirkwood had apparently been depressed at the time as he struggled in a high-ranking position at his father’s company and turned to an online “fantasy world”.
The Drumchapel man was last week jailed for 18 months and broke down in tears as a sheriff told him prison was the only option due to the “gravity” of the offences.
He mouthed “sorry” to a man in the public gallery – thought to be his father – as he was led sobbing to the cells.
Kirkwood got in touch with the 16-year-old in August last year after setting up a Facebook page in the name of “Sheryl Davies”.
“Sheryl” claimed to be involved with an escort agency and asked the teenager if she was interested in joining. Kirkwood then repeatedly sent a number of messages requesting the girl send naked photos of herself in different poses.
He claimed the pictures would be used as a profile for the escort agency. Glasgow Sheriff Court heard the unsuspecting teenager “genuinely believed” that she was in contact with a female involved in this line of work.
“Sheryl” continued and suggested the girl meet her friend “David” to help her get a job.
This was to carry out a supposed “run through” to how suitable she would be for prostitution. The youngster then agreed to meet “David” at a car park in Clydebank.
This person also turned out to be Kirkwood – and the girl carried out a sex act on him unaware she was being duped. However, police later became involved following reports Kirkwood contacted two others girls while posing as “Sheryl”.
He had been in touch with another 16-year-old and a 14-year-old about being an escort, but both refused to get involved. Kirkwood pleaded guilty in court to two charges under the Sexual Offences Act and another of being involved in a fraudulent scheme.
His QC asked for him not to be jailed, claiming there was “little likelihood” of the pervert re-offending.
Mark Stewart, defending, said Kirkwood had been suffering personal troubles around the time of the crimes. Kirkwood had got a role in his father’s company which was “beyond him” and his partner had recently given birth. Mr Stewart said Kirkwood “slipped into a form of depression” and turned to the web that untimately lead to the offences.
As well as jailing Kirkwood, Sheriff Martin Jones QC ordered him be supervised for another two years on his release and placed him on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
