10 June 2026 , 17:11
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A man has been convicted of raping a young boy and assaulting a teenage girl in a Caithness town.
Liam Begg, 23, attacked the six-year-old boy at an address in Wick in April 2017.
He struck again in April 2018 when he exposed himself and compelled a 14-year-old girl to carry out a sex act on him, and molested her in Wick’s Bignold Park.
He denied a series of offences during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh but was convicted of the two offences committed against child victims.
Begg was acquitted of a further sexual assault charge.
Following the guilty verdicts, judge Lady Ross told him: "You should be in no doubt that these are serious convictions."
She said the rape caused her "very serious concern".
The judge told Begg, a prisoner at Inverness prison, that it was necessary for her to get reports ahead of sentencing.
She said she would call for a background report on him and added: "I will also be asking for a report that will tell me about the level of risk you might present in the future."
Lady Ross was provided with victim impact statements and said she would need to take account of those as well as a criminal justice social work report.
The court heard that Begg has previous convictions, although they were mostly for breaches of court orders.
Begg was placed on the sex offenders’ register and his case will be reported to Scottish ministers under protection of vulnerable groups legislation.
He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on 8 July.
World Affairs Correspondent