A Perth accountant has been jailed for conspiring online with an “undercover operative” to obtain access to a child he could rape.
Jonathan Porter,49, was snared after Police Scotland officers were told about his plot to abuse a youngster.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Porter had been speaking to a person who could only be identified by the initial K.
The court heard Porter thought he was chatting to a “genuine” person who could help him commit crime against a child.
He was actually communicating with somebody jurors were told was an “undercover operative” who informed police about perverted Porter’s activities.
Detectives went to the offender’s home in Perth and arrested him.
During the probe officers discovered Porter had been making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children.
The officers also discovered Porter had sexually assaulted a five-year-old girl.
He was taken into custody where he claimed he had been indulging in fantasies with the undercover operative and had no intention of abusing any children.
Disbelief at verdicts
On Friday afternoon, jurors convicted Porter, now of Dunstable, Bedfordshire, on charges of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children between July 2015 and October 2019.
The first offender was also convicted of sexual assault on an occasion between December 2015 and November 2016 and conspiring to gain access to a child so he could sexually assault or rape them.
Defence advocate Andy Lamb KC asked for bail pending sentence next month but judge Lady Wise remanded him in custody and asked for a background report and risk assessment.
Porter shook his head in disbelief as the jurors returned their guilty verdicts and as Lady Wise deprived him of his liberty.
Spoke on ‘encrypted platforms’
Porter had pled not guilty to the offences, which took place at various locations in the Perth area.
The court heard he chatted to the undercover operative on “encrypted platforms” between October 11 2019 and October 16 2019 and asked whether they could get him access to a child he could sexually abuse.
After speaking to the operative, the jury were told Porter sent them the message: “I’m confident that you are genuine and not a man trying to get off on this.”
When he was arrested, he told police he had been on the platforms engaging in role play.
Porter did not give evidence in his defence.
In his closing speech, prosecutor Stewart Porter told jurors: “This was not role play.
“It is clear in my view that the accused had a sexual predilection towards children and I am seeking convictions on all the charges.
“You can infer that this was an attempt for the accused to abuse the child… what was agreed was the rape of a young child and a discussion about where this would take place.”
Mr Lamb said the forums his client visited contained content the jurors may dislike but was legal.
However, jurors took just 67 minutes to return verdicts of guilt.
He will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on May 18.
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