A dangerous teenage sex predator who raped a seven year-old boy after bosses at a secure residential unit allowed him out to roam the streets was sentenced to 28 months detention.

The 16 year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pretended to be a police officer before pouncing on his victim in a graveyard in Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire.

He went on to choke his terrified victim and warned he would kill him if he told anyone about the abuse.

The terrifying attack took place after it was decided to allow the teenager, who was supposed to be monitored round the clock, out unaccompanied for two hours each day.

The teenager was sentenced to detention and also ordered to be monitored in the community for four years after his release.

Outside the High Court in Glasgow the young victim's 54-year-old grandmother hit out saying: “I'm absolutely shocked at how low this sentence is. He should have got at least five years. It's like a kick in the stomach for my grandson and the family.

“My grandson has a lifelong sentence hanging over him. He has nightmares because he is scared. He has got no confidence. He used to be such a confident wee boy.

“How are they going to monitor the accused after he gets out, they never managed before.”

A family friend added: “The accused smirked at us as he was led away to the cells. He won't even be 20 when he finishes his sentence.”

Lord Burns backdated the sentence to June 29, last year and placed the teenager on the sex offenders' register.

He will serve his sentence in a young offenders' institution.

The teenage pled guilty to the rape which took place in June last year.

The decision to give the teenager unsupervised release for two hours each day happened just weeks before the attack, despite him inappropriately touching a 16 year-old boy in November 2017.