A Dundee police officer sent a naked selfie to a vulnerable 12-year-old boy on Snapchat.
Cameron Fraser, then 26, sent images of himself holding his private parts and wearing a police uniform to the child.
The youngster had told him during their online chat he was 16.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard earlier Fraser was a police officer with nearly six years service at the time.
Police Scotland said gross misconduct proceedings have been initiated.
Gross misconduct procedure
Fraser, now 28, appeared in the dock for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner between October 15 and 25 2022 at his then-home in Dundee and elsewhere.
He admitted using social media to engage in inappropriate conversations with the boy and sending sexual images of himself posing in stages of undress, including one of him naked.
Following the sentencing, Chief Superintendent Helen Harrison of the Police Scotland professional standards department said: “Fraser’s offending and behaviour was appalling.
“In committing this crime Fraser believed that his online offending would go undetected.
“However, there is no hiding place and as a result of our investigation he will now rightly face the consequences of his actions.
“It is right policing is held to high standards and we will always support officers and staff acting with our values and standards at heart.
“Those who reject what we stand for do not belong in Police Scotland.”
Vulnerable youngster
Prosecutor Alistair McDermid said the boy was diagnosed with high functioning autism and ADHD and there were concerns about him displaying sexualised behaviour and placing himself at risk of sexual abuse.
Police had reason to be at the boy’s home one night in October 2022 and with his mother’s permission, checked his phone and found sexualised images on the device.
They found messages from Fraser, photos of Fraser, and a picture of a police uniform.
Cybercrime examination of the phone revealed Snapchat message exchanges between Fraser and the boy.
On October 15 Fraser confirmed to the boy he was with the police.
He asked for his age and the boy told him he was 16, prompting a response from Fraser that he was a “bit too young to be speaking to me haha”.
He then told the boy he is 26 and when asked about his sexuality, Fraser said he is gay.
Sordid selfies
Four days later, Fraser sent a sexual image of an adult male to the boy, the fiscal said.
The fiscal depute described the image as: “A self-taken image of a naked adult male standing in front of two distinct wavy mirrors while his right hand covers his genital area”.
The boy responded: “U should just pick me up x”.
Three days later, Fraser sent a “self-taken image showing a male in what appears to be Police Scotland uniform of black top and combat trousers and standing in front of the same wavy mirror”.
The day after, Fraser sent another self-taken image of male wearing black combat trousers and no clothing on his upper half.
The court heard the male was wearing boxer shorts, a silver chain and an Apple watch and standing in front of the same mirror.
There was a further message exchange on October 24 in which the boy asked Fraser “could you do during the day on Wednesday?” to which Fraser replied: “Depends what time I get up”.
The boy said “like during school” and Fraser replies “haha, maybe”.
The conversation continued the next day.
The fiscal depute said at around 7am on February 8 2023 police arrested Fraser.
He was searched as part of the booking in process at Kirkcaldy police station and it was noted he was wearing a silver chain and an Apple watch.
Fraser’s iPhone was seized.
‘Naivety’
In sentencing, Sheriff James Williamson told Fraser: “This was perhaps naivety on your part more than anything. Ignorance plays a part”.
He placed Fraser on offender supervision for six months as part of a community payback order.
Sheriff Williamson concluded there was not a significant sexual element to the charge and there was “no need or necessity” to make him subject to sex offender registration.
However, the sheriff said it was “to some dismay” that a man of Fraser’s age – a serving police officer for seven-and-a-half years – has been described by social work as needing direction and guidance.
Defence lawyer Kris Gilmartin stressed first offender Fraser, of Dundee, thought the complainer was aged 16.
Mr Gilmartin said his client had otherwise served in the police without blemish.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
