GLEN URQUHART MAN RECEIVES COMMUNITY ORDER FOR CHILD SEXUAL COMMUNICATIONS
A man who sought explicit photos from a girl he believed to be 12 years old has received a community-based sentence instead of jail time.Scott Waddell, residing in Glen Urquhart, engaged in communication with an individual online that he believed was a 12-year-old girl, known as 'Izzy'.
The contact was initiated via social media platform Snapchat using the username Frank Castle, which is an alter ego of a Marvel comic book character.
Despite the profile clearly identifying as a young girl, Waddell persistently asked for photos of her breasts.
The police conducted a raid on his residence on January 1, 2024, after which he told officers, "I didn’t know she was that young".
Waddell had previously admitted to attempting to communicate indecently with a minor and appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing, where he was placed on a community payback order for three years, with supervision, restrictions on his internet and social media use, and mandated to complete 160 hours of unpaid work.
Additionally, he was registered as a sex offender for three years.
Outside the court, a supporter of Waddell intervened when the Press and Journal attempted to photograph him, claiming that media coverage was an invasion of his privacy.
The sheriff expressed concern over Waddell's behaviour, emphasizing its seriousness.
