Sex offender who went on the run is locked up

Andrew Hop, 41, was also placed on the sex offenders' register for five years.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court previously heard Hop, of Edinburgh Prison, appeared in private to face the charge back in 1999.

He was released on bail and in October of 2000 he failed to appear at a calling of the case. When it came to light Hop was resident in France a European arrest warrant was issued.

He eventually appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court again in October of last year and has been in custody since that date.

Last month Hop admitted using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards an 11-year-old between 1 June and 1 October, 1998, at an address in Midlothian.

He admitted a further charge of kissing the nine-year-old on the lips on one occasion between the same dates at the same address.

The court previously heard Hop stayed with the girls' family at weekends and would kiss the 11-year-old on the lips, embrace and fondle her private parts and expose himself to her and induce her to fondle him.

At a later date the offence came to light because the youngsters had more money than just their pocket money and they were questioned about this.

When questioned the girls revealed Hop had been giving them the cash and when he was asked about this the offences came to light.

Defence agent Elaine Crawford said he accepted responsibility for his actions and said Hop had already served a prison sentence due to being remanded which brought home the seriousness of his actions.

She added he had been in custody for two weeks in France prior to being transferred to Edinburgh.

The lawyer appealed for him to be dealt with other than custody as he had started a new life for himself but Sheriff Deidre MacNeill QC told Hop: "The only sentence I consider appropriate is custody.

"These girls were young, you got yourself in a position of trust and you greatly breached that trust."

Hop's sentence was backdated to 13 October last year when he was first remanded.