Underage sex man's visits banned

Daniel Balfour admitted having sex with the 14-year-old girl

A man who had sex with a 14-year-old schoolgirl, with her mother's consent, has been banned from seeing her.

Daniel Balfour, 23, was due to be sentenced after he admitted underage sex with the girl at her Borders home.

He failed to turn up for a meeting with social workers which meant the case was deferred again to 11 February.

However, his bail conditions were changed when it emerged he was still in a relationship with the girl and claimed they were engaged.

When he was originally put on bail in November he was not allowed to see the girl - who cannot be named for legal reasons - unless accompanied by an adult.

Sex register

At Duns Sheriff Court, Sheriff Kevin Drummond asked if the approved adults "included the girl's mother, who already approved of the sexual relationship".

When he was told that was the case, he ordered Balfour to have no contact with the girl until the case was disposed of next month.

Balfour has already been placed on the sex offenders' register.

A previous court hearing was told that the mother - who can also not be named - allowed Balfour to stay in the family home three or four nights a week.

She went as far as writing a letter to a local newspaper justifying her actions saying it had been to protect her daughter.

Her behaviour prompted political criticism.

South of Scotland SNP MSP Christine Grahame described it as "completely outrageous".

"This girl is in need of care and protection from her mother's values, which appear to be upside down," she said.

Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken said the woman's attitude was "astonishing".

"This is quite a depressing story where a parent has neglected her responsibility for the welfare of her child," he said.