SENTENCE WAS deferred yesterday on a Kinross man who exposed himself to two terrified teenage girls at a disused quarry.

The court heard the 17-year-olds were at Devonshaw Quarry in Powmill, on June 7, taking landscape photographs for a portfolio.

They had been standing at a group of boulders known locally as the Standing Stones when they were approached by Ewan Brand.

The 50-year-old demanded they take a photograph of him and became aggressive when they refused, which led to one of the girls doing as he asked.

Depute fiscal Janine Bates said, “The accused then asked them to take a picture of him naked, which they refused to do.

“The witnesses then clambered down from the Standing Stones and made their way towards the exit of the quarry.

“They consciously walked around the stones, keeping away from the accused after noticing that he was removing his belt.

“He then followed them and shouted, ‘How about this then?’”

When one of the teenagers turned round, she saw Brand’s trousers were down past his knees and he had exposed himself.

The alarmed girls began to run but he continued to pursue them and he caught up with one when her shoe fell off.

“She contacted her friend’s brother on her mobile phone and she got through and was screaming hysterically, asking him to come to the quarry,” Ms Bates continued.

“The accused then tried to take hold of the phone and was pressing the buttons in an attempt to end the call.

“He kept asking who she was calling and he then tried to take hold of the camera, which was around the other girl’s neck, pulling it in an attempt to remove the film.

“During the struggle, a pair of binoculars fell from inside Brand’s jacket and this distracted him enough for both witnesses to run off again.”

While the girls were running away, Brand said, “I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to hurt you,” and walked away.

The matter was reported to the police that day and the images were transferred to CD.

After house-to-house inquiries, they were told by one witness that she had seen Brand hanging around the area of the quarry two weeks before, and she was able to identify him from the photo taken on the girl’s camera.

Police officers interviewed Brand and he admitted the allegations, saying his actions had been down to “stupidity— total stupidity.”

He also claimed that the girls had been “wearing next to nothing,” before denying that the incident was sexually motivated.

Defence agent Rosie Scott said her client had “no intention” of upsetting the two girls and he had only chased them to stop them calling the parents.

“He wanted to get the camera because he knew his photo was on it,” she said.

“He very much regrets it. He is remorseful and is aware that what he has done is wrong.”

Brand, of Barnhill Farm, Kinross admitted that on June 7, at Devonshaw Quarry, he conducted himself in a disorderly manner by exposing himself to two 17-year-old girls and committed a breach of the peace.

Sentencing was deferred until December 16 for reports.