HIGHLAND PAEDOPHILE SNARED BY UNDERCOVER OFFICER POSING AS 13-YEAR-OLD
A paedophile who was snared by an undercover police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl has been spared jail.Andy Urquhart sent messages describing sexual acts and told her he wanted to have sex with her.
He also sent her pictures of a penis.
Urquhart, 31, appeared for sentencing at Inverness Sheriff Court having previously admitted charges of attempting to communicate indecently with a child and attempting to cause a child to view a sexual image.
The first charge involved him believing he was messaging a girl called Sofia, but was in fact communicating with a police officer.
He sent messages about sexual acts and claimed to be performing a solo sex act.
He asked the ‘girl’ for naked images and expressed desire for sexual intercourse.
The second charge describes how he sent a video and photo showing male genitalia.
The court was told Urquhart appeared to have genuine remorse, was socially isolated, and emotionally vulnerable.
Sheriff Gary Aitken placed him on a community payback order for three years, including participation in the Moving Forward to Change programme.
A risk assessment led to a sexual harm prevention order, restricting his contact with children, internet access, and monitoring him.
The order remains in place for five years, and he will stay on the sex offenders register for the same period.
