By Lars Niven

A PAIR of computer students who distributed photographs of two scantily clad female friends were told yesterday their behaviour had been little short of “grubby.”

Christopher Brown, from Dunfermline, and Peter Mercer, from Crossford, had the images printed up in a supermarket and then passed them on to members of the girls’ families.

The images were also handed over to work colleagues of one of the girls.

Brown and Mercer claimed at Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday it was meant to be a prank, but accepted they had taken matters too far.

Brown (18), of Blacklaw Road, and Peter Mercer (18), of Knowehead Road, pleaded guilty to committing a breach of the peace at an address in Lady Nairne Road, Dunfermline, on October 8 of last year.

They admitted distributing photographs of a personal nature without the consent of the subjects and upsetting them.

Their pleas of not guilty to five further charges of distributing photographs of a sexual nature were accepted by the Crown.

Sheriff D. Cork heard the women in the photographs were wearing tassles.

Depute fiscal Louise Ward told the sheriff, “This photograph had been electronically tampered with to include the new boyfriend of one of the girls and an indecent suggestion.

“On October 8, of 2008, both accused distributed these photographs within Fife.

“The photographs were distributed to relatives of the two girls concerned and at the shop where one of the girls worked.

“They subsequently came to the attention of the police and both accused were detained.”

Miss Ward added Mercer admitted he had Bluetoothed a photograph of one of the girls concerned and had tampered with another photograph.

Brown was also interviewed under caution.

He admitted being present when the pictures were printed at Asda’s in Dalgety Bay and of being aware of their content.

Solicitor Barbara Collie said, “Both girls were fully aware that pictures had been taken.

“My client advises me it was his co-accused’s idea to distribute the photographs and he simply went along with that.”

Brown, also known as Sambridge, accepted he was involved in the distribution and realised in hindsight the decision was foolish.

Miss Collie added he was studying for an HNC in computing at Carnegie College in Dunfermline.

He had no previous convictions and fully co-operated with police.

Solicitor Brian Tait said Mercer was also studying computing.

Mercer was 18, the same age as all of the people involved.

“As has been narrated, these photographs didn’t come into their possession by any criminal means,” he added.

He stressed the girls were aware the pictures were taken and that they would be distributed among friends.

“What they would not have anticipated is that they would have been distributed among their family,” he said.

Mr Tait insisted the offence wasn’t something that had a “significant sexual aspect” to it.

The pair wished to apologise to the girls and for the upset caused.

Sheriff Cork told the accused, “From what I have heard this was a grubby course of conduct, distressing for your victims and not very clever.”

He fined them £120 each.