A Perth paedophile who shared photos of city schoolgirls with other creeps online has dodged a prison sentence.
William Innes took images from local parents’ Facebook pages and posted them on dating app Grindr.
He shared sick rape fantasies and said he would “rip the school uniform off” one of the youngsters in the photos.
The 24-year-old, who was also caught with a cache of child abuse files, boasted that he got aroused every time he walked past a school.
Innes, of Simpson Square, appeared at the city’s sheriff court and admitted discussing child abuse and sending photos of children in uniform in a series of messages that were “grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character” between September and October 2021.
He also pled guilty to possession of child abuse images between January and August that year.
Sentencing
Sheriff Gillian Wade told him: “This is a very serious offence in very concerning circumstances.
“I believe the best way to deal with this is with a lengthy community payback order.”
Innes was ordered to carry out 165 hours of unpaid work and must engage with the Moving Forward Making Changes programme for sex offenders.
He has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.
Sheriff Wade warned Innes the sentence was imposed as a direct alternative to prison.
“If you fail to comply you will be brought back here and likely be sent into custody,” she said.
Solicitor Mike Tavendale, defending, said: “This is a young man who has lost his employment as a result of his involvement in this matter.
“The impression I have is that he has an appreciation of what he has done and has shown genuine remorse.”
Illicit images recovered
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney previously told the court Police Scotland had received information that a device with an IP address linked to Innes’s home had been involved in child sexual abuse material during June 2021.
Officers swooped on the property and a Samsung mobile phone was seized from under Innes’s pillow.
“A preview indicated there were illicit images of children on it,” the fiscal depute said.
“The accused was arrested and taken to police headquarters in Dundee.”
The phone was analysed by the cybercrime unit and 28 files related to child sexual exploitation and abuse were recovered.
The 26 still images and two videos – downloaded from messaging app Kik – featured girls as young as nine years old.
Five files were at the highest end of the court’s obscenity scale, the court heard.
Rape fantasies
Mr Sweeney said: “Concerning communications were also found on the phone application Grindr.
“This is a dating app for gay and bi-curious men in which they can exchange messages.”
Innes posted on the app under the username “Horny” with two devil emojis.
“He was engaged with a variety of other Grindr users,” said Mr Sweeney.
Innes told one man that he would “love to rape his sister”.
Asked if he had done anything with her, Innes replied: “I wish. Stole her thongs… Always planned to meet her… to rape her.”
In another exchange, he wrote he was interested in “sexy young boys in sheer tights” and schoolgirls.
Innes said he got aroused every time he drove or walked past a school.
During the chats, Innes shared photos of schoolgirls, including one aged between 11 and 13 and said he would “rip her school uniform off” and be “extremely rough” with her.
He shared fantasies about raping a young girl after picking her up from school.
Mr Sweeney said: “The images of children dressed in school uniform appeared to be from Perth schools.
“Enquiries were made to trace the children.
“The photographs appear to have been taken from their parents’ social media accounts.”
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