Scots woman tells of regret after '˜sleeping with 14-year-old boy in US'

An Edinburgh hypnotherapist has told of her 'regret' after she allegedly had sex with a 14-year-old boy in a Florida hotel room.

According to the Scottish Sun on Sunday, Sarah Louise McGill, 28, told police officers “one thing led to another” after meeting the boy, who said he felt “guilty” following the encounter.

She then begged officers to let her off with a slap on the wrist as she was “scared” of jail.

In police interviews released to the Sunday newspaper, McGill, originally from Galashiels, said: “We didn’t just talk. He wanted to touch me. We were talking and one thing led to another. That was it.

Sarah McGill is accused of having sex with a minor in a US hotel room.

“I wish I never took him upstairs. I feel like such an idiot.”

McGill, who runs her own clinical hypnotherapy business in Edinburgh, was taken into custody on April 7 after the teenager allegedly paid her $US480 (£340) for sex.

McGill, posing under the alias Sophia Belle, was said to have been approached by the 14-year-old, who told police his life was boring and that he was looking for a way to “spice things up”.

The teen made contact with her while searching online for prostitutes last week on Quora.com – a website known to carry escort ads.

McGill and the boy allegedly started texting each other before they arranged to meet in a Marriott hotel room in Orlando.

The victim told police McGill had met him on the first floor of the hotel near the elevator.

After sex, the boy claims he paid McGill using a mix of $US50 and $US20 notes before leaving the hotel.

Asked by police how old she thought the teen was, she said: “Maybe 16. He was really young looking for his age. I believed what he said that he was 18. He looked younger.”

She added: “I didn’t want to harm anybody. That was never my intention. I feel really bad.”

When quizzed on whether she’d had sex with the boy, she said: “I didn’t really want to have sex.”

Detective Jennifer Criner told McGill: “I think you’re a prostitute or a high-end escort — whatever you want to call yourself.

“You get paid to have sex with people. At some point there’s some sort of money exchange for sex. This kid found you through a website to have sex with you. That’s it.”

McGill responded: “Yes. There is truth in it.”

She added: “I didn’t come here to do anything wrong. Whatever happened, I never had any ill intention.

“I’m just a very down-to-earth, normal person.

“I didn’t come out to hurt anybody. I don’t know what happened. I didn’t do anything to him, like seriously.

“I feel like you’re going to detain me or whatever. I’ve never been in handcuffs or anything like that so it’s scary for me.

“I think I should leave the country and I think I should be told off. I don’t want to go to jail.

“I’m really scared. So scared like I’ll never leave the country.”

McGill was released on bail after being charged with lewd or lascivious battery. She was freed from Orange County Jail after paying a $1,000 bond. The businesswoman was also forced to hand over her UK passport to make sure she stays in Florida to attend a trial.

McGill’s hypnotherapy business is based on Edinburgh’s St Colme Street in the Capital’s New Town. The service offers to help with phobias, stress, confidence levels and weight loss. The Sarah McGill Therapy website says: “I offer a caring and confidential service for my clients and ensure absolute privacy and anonymity at all times. If you have any particular concerns I’ll happily put your mind at rest.”

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