A HALDANE woman who engaged in sexual activity with two children at addresses in the Vale of Leven has been spared a prison sentence.

Emilee Barclay carried out the offences at a property in Bonhill between August 2015 and December 2017, and at another property in Haldane between October 2015 and August 2016.

The 22-year-old plied both of her victims with booze and gave one of them cannabis while offering the class B drug to the other.

Barclay was sentenced at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday.

She had previously admitted engaging in sexual activity with the two children – a boy and a girl – both of whom were aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the offences.

Barclay had also pleaded guilty to charges of supplying, and of offering to supply, a controlled drug.

She admitted both offences at a hearing in January, when sentence was deferred for background reports.

Her solicitor, Stephen McGuire, told Friday’s hearing that the sexual activity was “consensual”.

But that prompted Sheriff Maxwell Hendry to interject, saying: “I don’t think the word ‘consensual’ should be used here. These were children, who were not in a position to consent to any of this activity.”

Mr McGuire acknowledged: “It’s illegal behaviour because of their age, and Ms Barclay fully accepts her guilt in relation to these charges.

“She now wants to move forward and get her life back.

“She recognises she has offended at a serious level. She did not have that understanding as these offences were taking place, but the court process has forced her to address that in a way she has found upsetting and challenging at times.

“She hopes that through supervision and guidance she will find the right path.”

Sheriff Hendry told Barclay: “You committed these offences over a period of years.

“They involve young victims – and I choose that word deliberately. There are concerns expressed in the report as to whether you have a full understanding of the imbalance of power on those relationships.

“I accept there was no coercion and no forcing – but there could not have been any question of any form of consent.

“The effect of what you did is not known. It may be long-lasting; it may be life-long.

“I accept you grew up with your own difficulties, and that you felt you had little or no childhood, but that is no excuse.”

Barclay will be supervised by a social worker for three years – the maximum length of time permitted under such an order.

She was also ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work within six months, and was placed on a restriction of liberty order which will see her electronically tagged and required to stay within her home from 7pm until 7am every night for four months.

She was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years, and was ordered to come back to court for a review of her sentence at the end of June.