A female peadophile has been spared jail because of her age despite having a sexual relationship with a boy, 14. Elle Aiton, now 20, met the teenager online before they met in person and kissed and cuddled.

Aiton, of Bellshill, Lanarkshire, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted engaging in sexual activity.

The Daily Mail reports that on one occasion the pair undressed each other in his bedroom and she put her hand down his underwear. She was 18 at the time.

Aiton allowed the schoolboy to touch her before they decided that sexual contact between them was "unwise". The relationship came to a head when the boy was reported missing and discovered inside of her home.

The youngster told police about their meetings between July and September 2023 and an investigation was launched. Aiton later told officers it had been an act of "stupidity".

In response to her crimes, Sheriff Louise Gallacher put her under supervision for two years and placed her on the sex offenders’ register for the same period. She was also banned from contacting her victim for two years.

Depute fiscal Lewis Devoy said: "The accused began visiting the complainer at his home address where they would spend time with each other. The accused was aware that the complainer was 14."

He added the relationship continued across the summer of 2023 when they touched each other sexually and said: "In August 2023 the complainer attended at the accused’s house and they were again kissing each other but as the relationship continued both came to the realisation that the sexual contact between them was unwise and that it should end."

Ian Scott, defending, said: "It goes without saying that she is extremely remorseful for behaving in this way. It would be a genuine surprise if she ever troubled the courts again."

Sheriff Gallacher said: "You have pled guilty to a very serious charge of engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old boy and I’m satisfied that the custody threshold has been passed. But I have to follow the sentencing guidelines for young people and have to take into account that the main aim of sentencing someone of your age is rehabilitation.

"Up until this you were of good character and are assessed as a low risk of reoffending and on that basis, despite this being a very serious offence, I do consider that there is an alternative to custody available."