Oban pool player jailed for rapes

Sean Sneddon was convicted of 11 charges following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

 

Three victims were either raped or sexually assaulted by Sneddon who was 12 when he first struck.

 

They were also hounded for naked photographs, as was a fourth girl.

 

The now 20-year-old is behind bars after he was locked up for six years as he returned to the dock this week to be sentenced.

 

The offences occurred in his hometown of Oban between 2016 and 2022.

 

In 2015, the then "pocket rocket" made headlines after he was chosen for his country in the junior European pool championships.

 

He was the youngest member of Team Scotland.

 

Sneddon said at the time: "I started to get really good and was beating my aunt, so she entered me in some competitions and that is how it started."

 

But, jurors heard how not long after this, Sneddon targeted his first victim, who he went on to rape.

 

He was described by prosecutors as acting "casually and callously" with this girl during her ordeal.

 

She could not state the exact number of occasions she was preyed upon, but did say it occurred "lots of times".

 

In his speech to jurors, advocate depute Wojciech Jajdelski said: "Sean Sneddon would beg her not tell anyone and she was scared of what he would do."

 

The next girl who was also raped had her pre-recorded testimony played to the court. She was described as "anxious".

 

The court heard she only reported the sex attacks a year or so after they happened.

 

The third brave sex attack victim was said to have recalled her ordeal in "a matter of fact way".

 

Mr Jajdelski told the court Sneddon appeared to "tie himself in knots" when faced with the accusations.

 

The advocate depute said Sneddon had a "general propensity to spend time in the company of females younger than himself".

 

He added: "The charges were a course of conduct systemically pursued."

 

Judge Tony Kelly also ordered Sneddon be supervised for a further two years on his release.