AYR MAN APPEARS IN COURT CHARGED WITH SEXUAL OFFENCES
A MAN has appeared in court charged with causing a young child to look at a sexual image.Edward Taylor appeared for a petition hearing in private at Ayr Sheriff Court on Monday, May 19.
The 42-year-old is also accused of communicating indecently with a young child.
Taylor, of Ayr, made no plea or declaration in relation to the alleged offences and was remanded in custody.
He was committed for further examination and will make a further appearance in court in due course.
Police Scotland confirmed that officers were called to a property in the town last weekend.
A police spokesperson said: "A 42-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with an indecent communications offence.
Around 1.30pm on Sunday, May 18, officers were called to Main Street, Ayr, regarding the allegation.
The man was due to appear at Ayr Sheriff Court on Monday, May 19." ——————————————————————————— Update 25-11-2025 Edward Taylor, who previously used the name Charles Lee, pleaded guilty to sending a sexual image and sexual communication at his address on Main Street, Ayr and elsewhere, when he appeared from custody at Ayr Sheriff Court on November 17.
The 43-year-old, now an inmate at HMP Kilmarnock, admitted sending messages to a person he believed to be a child, who had not attained the age of 13, between May 10 and May 18, 2025 'intentionally and for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification or of humiliating, distressing or alarming'.
He admitted causing them to look at a sexual image – sending her a picture of his privates - and attempting to sexually communicate with a young child, and attempting to cause a young child to look at a sexual image.
The Crown prosecutor said: “The witness works for a charity in Northern Ireland, an online civilian decoy group Justice Reborn.
They then contacted Forbidden Scotland, a self-described 'paedophile hunting group'.
They had created an account on a chat site as 12-year-old girl and the same day received a message from the accused.
He said he was a 42-year-old male.
She said she was from Southampton, 12-years-old and the conversation continued.
He asked if she would like to see an image of him naked – subsequently he sent image of his naked body and privates.
They asked if each had a boyfriend or girlfriend and he asked her if she would like to be his girlfriend, and asked what type of men she was interested in.
Taylor requested they meet up, and told the 'girl' she 'did not have to do anything she did not want to do', stating that and if she was "not ready for sex" they could "cuddle".
The court heard that Taylor told the profile he was aroused and went into detail about this and discussed what consent meant.
The prosecutor said: "He asked if she had been shown how to masturbate and asked if she wanted a relationship.
He told her she was stunning.
He was later arrested after the groups contacted police and provided screenshots of his messages.
