ONLINE SEX OFFENDER CAUGHT CHATTING WITH 15-YEAR-OLD BOY
A CONVICTED sex offender was caught having sexually explicit chats with a 15-year-old boy on the internet.Sick Stephen Rodriguez had already been placed on the sex offenders register and banned from having unsupervised contact with children under 16 after a conviction at Preston Crown Court in September 2007.
However, the 39-year-old was back in court last week after admitting conducting his vile chats with the teenager from his former Armadale home twice in January this year.
Rodriguez, described as a prisoner of Saughton, pled guilty at Livingston Sheriff Court last week to breaching the terms of his sex offenders probation order.
The court heard the teenager, from Renfrewshire, made contact with Rodriguez in an internet chat room in January.
The boy openly stated he was 15.
"The conversation that followed was of a sexual explicit nature," fiscal depute Danielle Clark said.
Two days later the boy again contacted Rodriguez through the internet and it was of an "extremely" explicit sexual nature.
However the alarm was raised by the teenager’s foster parents.
The troubled teen had problems with his internet usage in the past and was only given access to a computer by his carers on the basis they would be checking it.
“There was no face-to-face contact with anyone and this was done over the internet.
However, as a safeguard your bail conditions will prohibit you from having any access by any means to the internet until sentence is passed.
“These were not oral conversation with no video cameras or audio.
Both conversations were initiated by the complainer,” Mr Fraser added.
“He thinks that it was done through his contact details on his MSN webpage where he is quite open about his name, age and sexual orientation.
“A probation order would help him get help for his issues.
If the court thinks this will help him then this is the time to nip it in the bud and stop it once and for all.” Calling for reports Sheriff Douglas Kinloch said he was satisfied public safety could be protected by releasing Rodriguez on bail until he is sentenced next month.
"First of all you have been detained for almost 90 days which is almost equivalent of a six month prison sentence.
"Secondly I think all the points made on your behalf by your solicitor have substance."
