Snapchat predator has 'excessive' sentence cut on appeal Published duration 19 November 2019

A Dundee rapist has had his 10-year prison sentence cut by almost half, due to his age at the time of committing the offences.

Darren Edwards, 21, had underage sex with four teenagers before raping one of the girls.

The offences took place between February 2013 and February 2018.

Appeal judges reduced his sentence to six years, with three years supervision on release, saying the original sentence was "excessive."

Edwards was jailed in February after he was convicted of a string of crimes, including rape, underage sex and sending indecent messages to girls under 16 he contacted through the messaging app Snapchat.

'Frowned upon'

Edwards told his trial that he had sex with a 14-year-old girl in 2016 with her consent after having "general conversation" with her on Snapchat.

He said he knew her age and told the court: "I wasn't aware it was wrong. I knew it was frowned upon."

One of the appeal judges, the Lord Justice General, Lord Carloway said the offences were serious and needed to be dealt with by a "significant period of custody".

He added: "The question is whether the cumulative total of 10 years in custody is excessive, having regard in particular to the appellant's youth at the time of the offences.

"He was aged between 17 and 19 years. The court is persuaded that the sentence is excessive."

The appeal judges rejected a challenge against Edwards' conviction.

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