A Dundonian who sent a video of himself performing a sex act to a paedophile hunter posing as a schoolgirl has been sentenced.
Michael McColl appeared in the dock at Dundee Sheriff Court last month and admitted trying to communicate indecently with a child last year.
The decoy account he was conversing with appeared to be that of a 13-year-old girl, but was in fact run by an adult woman.
McColl spent two-and-a-half months sending sick messages and told the decoy “age isn’t an issue”.
These included photos of his private parts and a video of him performing a sex act.
The 42-year-old returned to the dock for sentencing on Friday.
A sheriff said his explanation to social workers – that he somehow knew the account was operated by an adult – was a “complete contradiction” to his admission of guilt.
McColl was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years and handed a community payback order.
Mitigation
Solicitor David Sinclair, defending, said: “There is a non-custodial disposal that has been proposed.
“He’s certainly within the realms of a serious disposal being imposed.
“He feels that what has occurred here is something that he has allowed himself to enter into a trap.
“I think Mr McColl has been indefatigable with his attitude with social workers – he is not in any way attracted to underage females.”
However, Sheriff Alastair Carmichael said the story McColl gave social workers was a “complete contradiction” to his plea.
He pointed out that McColl told the interviewers he didn’t believe the person he was speaking to was 13.
The sheriff adjourned proceedings to ensure McColl was maintaining his admission.
After his guilt was confirmed, the sheriff sentenced him to three years supervision and three years on the sex offenders register.
McColl must complete 140 hours of unpaid work and take part in the Tay Project, aimed at rehabilitating sex offenders.
He was made subject to a string of strict conduct requirements and his order will be reviewed in October.
Offence
In June, McColl admitted attempting to communicate indecently with a child by sending sexual messages and files over WhatsApp and a dating site.
From his home in Adamson Court in Dundee, McColl sent the messages for the purposes of gaining sexual gratification or for humiliating, alarming or distressing his victim.
Between January 12 and April 1 in 2023, he communicated with an account he believed belonged to a 13-year-old girl called Megan Ashfield.
In fact, his messages were being received by a grown woman posing as a schoolgirl.
Fiscal depute Lora Apostolova previously told the court the account user quickly told McColl she was only 13.
“Despite this, he continues to speak in a sexual manner,” she said.
McColl sent a photo of his erect penis and and then asked: “Show me one pic of you.
“Do me a sexy one of you in underwear.”
In response, McColl was told she was too young but he continued badgering her for pyjama pictures.
The account user told told McColl after he sent a picture of his genitals, she had never seen “a real one before” because she was 13.
He responded with a video of him performing a sex act.
The “girl” continued to stress she wasn’t used to seeing such content as she was only 13.
McColl told her she looked older than that.
Responding to more of her requests for photographs, the decoy said she would get into trouble.
McColl began asking whether the girl had a boyfriend. He was told the boys at her school were stupid.
“You need an older boy like me to look after you,” he said.
He said they could be boyfriend and girlfriend and added: “Age isn’t an issue.”
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