Midlothian man facing jail sentence after relationship with 13-year-old girl

David Bracks regularly had sex with the 13-year-old child while she was “blackout drunk” at his former home after meeting her at a local skate park.

Bracks, who has since moved to Manchester, admitted starting the relationship with the teenager when he was 19 and having sex with her on several occasions between December 2010 and October 2011.

Bracks, now aged 34, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday to plead guilty to an offence of engaging in sexual activity with the child where he kissed her on the mouth, touched her body and sexually penetrated her.

The court was told the victim was just 13 when she met Bracks at a skate park in August 2009 and along with a group of friends began consuming alcohol together.

David Bracks regularly had sex with the 13-year-old child while she was “blackout drunk” | Alex Lawrie

A relationship started between the pair after a period of “initial flirting” and the court was told at the time girl believed the liaisons to be “the most romantic thing ever”.

One encounter at the park saw Bracks “put his right hand inside the girl’s pants and penetrate her” before he left to rejoin his friends.

Bracks then began taking the child to his former home in Midlothian and had sex with her on a mattress in his living room while she was “blackout drunk”.

The court heard Bracks used a condom during the “regular” encounters over an 11 month period and the girl believed the pair to be in a relationship.    

Bracks ended the relationship in October 2011 and the court was told the girl was “relieved” they had split up. The victim then decided to report what had happened to her to the police in September 2021 due to problems with her mental health.

Bracks was arrested and during a police interview he fully admitted to having sex with the child and told officers “he had been waiting 10 years for this relationship to catch up with him”.

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll placed Bracks on the Sex Offenders Register and deferred sentence for the preparation of criminal justice social work reports.  The sheriff said: “Mr Bracks should well understand all options are open to the court.”