'High-risk' rapist who attacked child he met on Snapchat jailed

A “high-risk” rapist who pretended to be a teenager to sexually assault a child he met using Snapchat has been jailed.

Christian Lambert, 21, attacked the 12-year-old at a house in the Slateford area of Edinburgh in March last year.

The child thought she was going to meet a boy who was a couple of years older than her.

Lambert, of Edinburgh, appeared before Judge Lord Summers for sentencing, and the court heard how he was assessed as being at “high-risk” of further sexual offending.

He was sentenced to three years and four months for the attack.

Lambert pleaded guilty last month to raping the child on an occasion between March 27 and March 28, 2024. Sentencing had been deferred for the court to obtain a background report.

At the previous hearing, prosecutor Leanne McQuillan told judge Lord Summers about the circumstances surrounding the attack.

She said: “She contacted an online friend called Chris, the accused.

“She had known him through Snapchat for about a week.

“She advised that she initially believed him to be 14 or 15-years-old.”

The court heard how Lambert met the girl in Edinburgh before they returned to a flat where he was staying at.

Ms McQuillan said: “They left briefly around midnight to visit a local park. On their return to the flat, they kissed and cuddled.

“The complainer has a very vague recollection of the details of what happened but recalled that she had been repeatedly falling asleep and recalled the accused [sexually assaulting her].

The court heard that the girl told police about what happened to her the following day.

Detectives launched an investigation and discovered forensic evidence, allowing them to build their case against Lambert.

Defence advocate Graham Robertson told the court that the report that had been commissioned at the previous hearing didn’t make for “pleasant reading”. The report stated that Lambert was at high risk” of further sexual re-offending.

Mr Robertson said that his client had attended boarding school as a youngster but had difficulty fitting in – he said this meant that Lambert had become self-reliant.

He added: “There’s no parental support for him. His father has not been to visit him.”

Mr Robertson also said his client had expressed remorse for his actions.

He added: “He was anxious to plead guilty.”

Passing sentence, Lord Summers told Lambert: “You took advantage of her age and her vulnerability. She did not have the capacity to consent.

“I conclude that this offence is of such gravity that the imposition of a custodial sentence is inevitable. This is in order to punish you and to deter others.”

Lord Summers also placed Lambert on the Sex Offenders Register for life.