Police have launched a court bid to stop a convicted Dundee sex offender from further offending.
Gerald Niven, 41, was sentenced to two years in prison in 2011 after making arrangements to meet a girl who was under the age of 16 and intending to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard at the time how he told the youngster he would pay her £180 to belt her on the behind and hands.
Now, it’s understood that officers want to have a five-year SOPO (Sexual Offences Prevention Order) placed on Niven, who is out of jail and living in the city.
The order could prevent behaviour including contact with females under the age of 16 without prior contact.
The Tele understands that an interim SOPO is currently in place and a full hearing will be held in December.
It comes as neighbours of Niven say they are concerned that he is living on their street, which cannot be named for legal reasons.
One resident said it was unsettling having him staying nearby. He said: “There are a lot of children living in this street and ever since we found out he moved to the area there has been outrage.
“It used to be a utopia for the kids — they would be out playing on the street or in the back gardens.
“But now everyone is afraid to let their kids out because we all know he is there and we all know what he has done.
“It is a horrible thing to even discuss, and everyone is very uncomfortable with the fact he lives so close to so many children.
“Every house on the street has signed a petition to have him moved somewhere else because we can’t understand why he has been moved to an area with such a high number of children.”
During the 2011 case, the court heard that Niven had held conversations with the girl on a social networking site, and offered her the sum of money if she would meet him in school uniform and he could “give her pain”.
He then twice offered the girl more money, which she declined to accept.
In addition to the prison sentence, a further two-year period of supervision was imposed and he was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Sheriff Richard Davidson told Niven: “You knew exactly what age she was when you started using the social network site and you knew what you were proposing to her to get your sexual gratification.” In January, 2012, Niven had a bid to cut his two-year jail sentence rejected, despite his claims it was excessive.
He had wanted to address his issues in the community.
Niven had previously been given three years’ probation, in 2005, for a similar offence.
His defence agent said at the time that his client had been affected by circumstances dating back to his early childhood — including being belted.
The Tele approached Niven for comment but he said it would be inappropriate to speak to the press.
Police Scotland said it didn’t comment on individual cases.