A teenage sex offender was taken in by an unsuspecting Angus family before he showed indecent images of under-age girls to their children.
Neighbours saw Craig Gordon play “pile-up” and hide-and-seek with young girls after he made friends with a neighbour over a shared love of motorsport.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday how the 18-year-old broke a major court order in doing so, and accused the family of lying over his activities when he was challenged by police.
And officers found a haul of indecent images on searching Gordon’s bedroom, after telling the shocked family about his past and discovering Gordon had shown their boys indecent images on his phone.
Gordon was placed on the sex offenders register by Sheriff Kevin Veal after admitting an indictment containing a string of charges, including breaching a Risk of Sexual Harm Order.
Fiscal depute Hannah Kennedy said officers found girls’ underwear beneath his mattress and a haul of indecent materials in October last year.
Ms Kennedy said: “Police went to Gordon’s address and saw a photo of a young girl on the wall of his bedroom.
“Lifting his mattress they recovered a pair of girls’ pants as well as adult magazines.
“Multiple images were found on his phone similar to those described by the boys, as well as several images showing himself in the company of young girls.
“On the laptop indecent images of children were found, as well as images of young children in swimwear and lingerie.”
The phone also held photos of Gordon posing with children.
Forfeiture of items including a laptop, notebook and mobile phone was granted.
Defence agent Robin Beattie told the court his client had a mental age of 12.
Ms Kennedy added that Gordon “mainly associated with people younger people than himself.”
Gordon’s father and step-mother had disowned him, and he is welcome at no other family address.
Gordon was subjected to the two-year order at Forfar Sheriff Court on January 18 2012, forbidding him from having any contact with females under 16 without the permission of the area’s police Chief Constable.
Ms Kennedy said the family had an interest in motorsport and the accused “became friendly with them over this.”
Officers visited the family home after they were told of Gordon’s visits, at which times the father said Gordon had played and spoken with female children on a regular basis.
“One such incident occurred when the accused organised a game of hide-and-seek, staying with the girls while the boys hid,” Ms Kennedy added.
“He also instigated pile-ups where the children all piled on to each other.”
Gordon, a prisoner at YOI Polmont, was remanded in custody until March for the preparation of reports.
He previously admitted approaching girls on a number of occasions between January 18 2012 and October 6 last year, at addresses in Angus.
The accused further admitted that on May 31 at addresses in Angus and Perthshire, he showed two boys under the age of 13 pornographic images.
Gordon also pleaded guilty to taking or permitting to be taken, or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children at his former home between February 12 and October 11 last year.