A teenage Tayside football referee’s career lies in tatters, after he was placed on the sex offenders register for sending a Facebook message to a 14-year-old girl.
Sean Baird, from Forfar, had taken charge of matches involving the team the youngster played for before he sent her a private message through the social network site reading simply “Hiya”.
Less than a week later the 19-year-old followed it up with another stating ‘**** me’, with a winking symbol attached.
At Forfar Sheriff Court yesterday, Baird, of the town’s Old Halkerton Road, was also fined £300 for an offence a sheriff said had required “a fair degree of planning” on the part of the accused.
Baird had admitted breaching the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 on June 28 by sending a private message of an indecent nature to the girl on facebook.
Depute fiscal Nicola Gillespie told the court Baird had previously been involved in refereeing under-15 girls’ football but had not done so for some time because of a knee injury.
“On June 22 the complainer received a private facebook message saying ‘Hiya’. She didn’t know who it was from and simply replied ‘Hi’,” the depute fiscal said.
“On June 28 she again received another private message, stating ‘**** me’ with a winking symbol.”
When she asked who the sender was, he replied that he was her “favourite referee”, adding symbols of a wink and a kiss.
The girl victim did not reply but contacted her football coach and police were subsequently informed. Baird went to Forfar police station the day after the offending message had been sent and was later questioned.
He admitted to police he had sent the message and said it was “totally inappropriate”, telling officers: “It’s not something you should say to someone, it’s not like it was going anywhere.”
Defence solicitor Bob Bruce said his client was “utterly distraught” over his actions.
“He was utterly open and candid with police, he is embarrassed and shows complete and utter contrition. He totally accepts it was not appropriate and realises it is far more than just being stupid.”
He urged Sheriff Kevin Veal not to place Baird on the sex offenders register, but the sheriff said there were clear guidelines laid down which required offences under the section of the act to be dealt with in that manner.
“The gravity of this offence is adequately demonstrated by the fact that the girl was only 14 years of age.
“Sean Baird would only have known her through his refereeing commitments. This girl was either in an under-16 or under-15 football team on any view, she was under-age.
“Clearly, there was a fair degree of planning because he must have gone into the Facebook page, identified her and sent her a message.
“The message was completely inappropriate and to think this was the first message he sent her is a matter of concern.”
The sheriff added: “On the other side of the coin, he is a first offender and I suspect the shock of appearing on this matter will be a wake-up call for the future.”
He fined Baird, saying that social work reports had indicated there was no need for continuing intervention, and placed him on the register for the minimum term of five years.