61-year old jailed for stalking 11-year old girl

A pensioner who stalked an 11-year-old and gave her money and a note saying "have a good day at school beautiful xx” has been jailed for almost two years. Archibald Donaghy, 61, followed the child as she walked home and gave her £2 to "buy herself something".

The next day he waited on her walking to school and gave her a plastic tub with the note in it, a bottle of juice and more money.

He then walked alongside her asked to cuddle her.

Donaghy twice invited her into his car on her way home that day but terrified, the girl ran home and told her mum.

He pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to stalking the 11-year-old on various occasions between March 14 and 15 in the city's Calton and Dennistoun area.

Jailing Donaghy for 20 months, sheriff Paul Crozier told him: “Your conduct on March 14 and 15 was terrifying.

“Your conduct towards her, as accepted by you in tendering your plea, has caused her great upset.

“Thankfully she had the good sense to run away.”

The sheriff added: "You are a danger, Mr Donaghy, so far as I am concerned, to young children."

Donaghy was given a five year non-harrassment order and put on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

The court heard Donaghy first spoke to the child on her way home from school alone and gave her money, on March 14.

Procurator fiscal depute Adele Macdonald said: "He approached the girl offering her two £1 coins saying to her 'go buy yourself something', suggesting she buy chips."

Initially she said no but took the money when Donaghy insisted.

She saw him later that day near where she lives, but carried on to her house.

Miss Macdonald said around 8.30am the following day, the girl saw Donaghy on her way to school “as if waiting for her”

She said: "Donaghy approached her and handed her a plastic tub, purple juice bottle and two £1 coins.

"Within was a green handwritten note 'have a good day at school beautiful xx', a smiley face was also drawn on the note.

"Donaghy walked with the girl, he asked the girl her name and age and she informed him.

"He walked with her until they were near her school, at this juncture he asked the girl if he could give her a hug, she said yes and Donaghy hugged the girl, she then left and went to school.”

She spotted the OAP in a black car around 3pm when she was half way home from school that day.

He invited her in but she said no and he asked her again.

The court heard the girl was “frightened of Donaghy and thought he might hurt her” and she ran home.

She told her mum what happened and said she was "scared like hell", and the police were contacted.

Donaghy was captured on CCTV from the area and police detained him at his house.

During his police interview he he made “relevant admissions” and was charged.

He replied “I’m innocent, I’ve done nothing wrong.”

Defence lawyer John Coogan asked the sheriff to take into consideration Donaghy's age, lack of previous convictions and the time he has already spent in custody.