A child sex offender called police on himself after being caught in a “sting” by a group of self-styled “paedo hunters”.
Francis Burns is back behind bars after admitting sending nude photos and videos to a “girl” he knew to be 13 but who was, in fact, a decoy.
Burns, 50, has multiple convictions for sending sickening messages involving the sexual abuse of children and has spent several periods in prison.
The recidivist, who was placed on a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) in October 2020, was visited by members of the Secrets and Lies voluntary paedophile hunter group.
Seemingly outraged by this, Burns called police, who eventually arrested him over the content of the messages he had sent to “Charlotte” – an adult male.
Camping trip wishes
Depute fiscal Sarah Wilkinson told Dundee Sheriff Court: “The conversation (on the SayHi app) was initiated by the accused.
“He said ‘hello’ and she advised him she was ‘only 13’.
“The conversation continued.
“After seeing a picture of the girl the accused responded ‘wow, you look amazing’.
“He then provided her his number, saying he did not use SayHi but did use WhatsApp.
“In conversation, the accused told the ‘girl’ he would like to go camping.
“She told him she wanted to be a model and he said she could be a topless model and she could make money ‘depending on the size of her t**s’.”
The conversation became increasingly explicit, with Burns telling his target “she would enjoy sex but it would hurt at first” and then requesting and sending videos of sex acts and asking for nude images.
The messages continued to get more graphic and sexual in their nature, the court was told.
He also told her “not to tell anyone” about their messages, because it would get him in trouble.
Hunter group sting
In January 2023, the group carried out a “sting”, arriving at his Burns’ Dunholm Terrace home.
Ms Wilkinson said: “The group presented Burns with screenshots.
“The accused said to the group ‘I am saying f**k all’.
“Burns then contacted the police.”
Following his arrest, Burns said: “I know I am going to jail.
“I know I am going back to Perth.”
Burns admitted between December 26 2022 and January 9 2023, for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification or for humiliating, distressing or alarming a child he believed to be aged 13, causing an adult to view sexual images and receive written sexual communication by sending sexually explicit messages, images and videos via social media and attempting to communicate indecently with an older child.
He will return for sentencing on August 15 and was remanded in custody.
Past crimes
Burns was jailed in 2017 when he targeted four different children via Kik and SayHi.
He claimed he was a 14-year-old boy and asked one for indecent pictures.
Officers searched Burns’ home in East School Road, Dundee and it was discovered there had been other victims.
He was later caught red-handed breaching his SOPO when a message appeared on his phone as police installed monitoring equipment on it.
It suggested he had been deleting messages from his phone without permission.
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