A TEENAGE sex offender who confessed to indecently assaulting five young girls claimed "age is only a number" when his victims told him they were just 13-years-old.

The teenager, who cannot be named as he is only 17, pleaded guilty to seven charges in September and was due to be sentenced last week.

However, background reports had not been supplied in time for Wednesday's (November 9) hearing at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court and the teen must now wait until next month to discover his fate.

The Times previously reported that the Dalry teen admitted sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl by kissing her on the lips at a car park between Lauchlan Way and Main Street in Kilwinning between October 1 and 31 last year.

On the same date, at the grounds of Abbey Church, he sexually assaulted another 13-year-old girl by putting his arm around her, placing his hand under her upper clothing and holding her chest.

The procurator fiscal depute's narration of the incidents stated that he told the two 13-year-olds: "I would go with you if you were older."

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He then leaned in and kissed one of them on the lips; this only lasted a second before the girl pulled away.

He told other girls "you're so pretty, I wish you would go with me even though I'm 16", and "would you go with me even though I am 16, 'cos you're so hot".

The girls all told him they were only 13 and the sex offender replied: "Age is only a number."

A third charge stated that he pursued another young girl, also aged 13, before repeatedly putting his arm around her, touching her on the body, repeatedly placing his hand under her upper clothing and holding her chest. He also placed his hand down her leggings and touched her private parts over her underwear.

At the grounds of the Abbey and elsewhere, on the same date, he communicated indecently with the same three girls and another 13-year-old by uttering sexual remarks towards them.

The teenager admitted sexually assaulting another 13-year-old female by touching and rubbing her inner thigh at a property in Dalry on August 16 last year.

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On the same date and at the same address he sexually assaulted another young girl, aged 12, by touching her buttocks.

A final charge stated he sexually assaulted the same 12-year-old female on the same date and at the same address by taking hold of her hand and compelling her to touch his penis.

According to court papers, the witnesses informed their deputy head teacher on November 5, 2021 about the incidents and the school immediately contacted police.

Five days later the teen responsible was traced within Ayrshire College where he was arrested and charged and replied "naw", "nope", and "no" to the charges, before stating: "I'm no even going to fight this."

When he appeared at court last week the teenager was told that a criminal justice social work report was not yet available. Sentence was further deferred until December to allow the preparation of the report as well as an electronic monitoring assessment and a risk assessment. Bail was continued.