A Scottish judge's decision not to jail a man convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl in a park has been met with shock and outrage. Sean Hogg, 21, was found guilty of raping the girl at Dalkeith

Country Park in Midlothian when he was 17 years old. He has been sentenced to 270 hours of unpaid work and placed under supervision for three years. He will also be on the sex offenders' register for three years. The judge, Lord Lake, cited Hogg's age at the time of the crime as a factor in the decision, stating that a prison sentence would not contribute to his rehabilitation.

The lenient sentencing has been met with criticism from Rape Crisis Scotland's CEO Sandy Brindley, who called it "worryingly lenient". Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Jamie Greene described the lack of a prison sentence as "a total insult to the young teenage victim in this case" and criticised the Scottish National Party's sentencing guidelines, which take a perpetrator's age into account.

According to the Scottish Sentencing Council, which was set up by SNP ministers in 2015, offenders under the age of 25 are treated more leniently due to their "lower level of maturity". Hogg was convicted of attacking the girl on several occasions between March and June 2018, assaulting her by threatening her and pulling down her clothing before grabbing her by the wrists and raping her.

Rape is one of the most serious crimes and is tried at the High Court. The judge acknowledged the seriousness of the offence and cited the victim's age and vulnerabilities as aggravating factors. However, he ultimately decided that Hogg's age at the time of the crime meant that a prison sentence was not appropriate.

The decision has raised questions about the use of age as a mitigating factor in sentencing for serious crimes such as rape. Critics argue that offenders should be held fully accountable for their actions, regardless of their age at the time of the offence. The case also highlights the need for greater support for survivors of sexual violence, who may struggle to see their perpetrators avoid jail time.