BELLSHILL MAN CAUGHT IN POLICE STING FOR ONLINE CHILD ABUSE
A man named Andrew Bolton, aged 27, from Bellshill, has been involved in a serious online offending case.He engaged in a police sting where he used social media to converse with an individual he believed was underage.
During the conversation, Bolton pleaded for explicit images, even asking if she liked being a 'good girl' for him.
The girl was actually a specially trained police officer working as part of Operation Overview.
Bolton exchanged numerous messages with her from June to October 2023, during which he also attempted to arrange a physical meeting, proposing to pick her up in his Mercedes A Class and asking her to come see him after school.
At one point, he suggested he would meet her and stated he would pick her up in his Mercedes.
The police later raided his home and found 34 illicit images and 11 videos of young children being abused.
Bolton has admitted to sexual communication, attempting to meet a child, and permitting indecent images of a child to be taken.
He appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court, where he was placed on the sex offenders' register and his sentence was deferred for reports.
The sentencing is scheduled for next month.
The case is linked to the ongoing police operation targeting threats to children in Scotland.
