A “high risk” sex offender breached a stringent court order by purchasing mobile phones to secretly contact his partner.
Paedophile Steven MacDonald – formerly known as Steven Perrie – previously tried to reinvent himself as a family man and business owner by changing his name.
The 55-year-old was able to move in with the woman and her child, as well as having access to a business associate’s child.
MacDonald is now back behind bars, just months after being released following his last breach.
He admitted further breaches of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by owning or possessing more than one mobile phone capable of accessing the internet.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how MacDonald bought two mobile phones in order to have “clandestine” contact with the woman.
He was released from prison in May after being previously locked up for previous breaches of the SOPO.
Bought first illicit phone
Fiscal depute Gavin Letford explained how MacDonald was under supervision by officers who were aware he had purchased a Sony Expedia phone.
Two months later, during an unannounced home visit, MacDonald revealed the phone had broken and intended to buy a new one.
Mr Letford said: “Police received intelligence that the accused had purchased a phone and top-up voucher in Aberdeenshire.
“He had made no contact with the relevant department about this.
“Officers attended for an unannounced home visit.
“At that time, officers asked him to hand over the phone and he gave them the Expedia phone.
“He was asked about any new devices and he denied the existence of any.”
Second phone kept secret
MacDonald then revealed he had purchased a new IMO Q2 smartphone, with CCTV footage capturing him doing so at an Argos store.
A search warrant was granted and police also recovered an Alcatel mobile phone which was incapable of accessing the internet.
MacDonald failed to notify police about these devices.
Solicitor Scott Norrie said: “The phones were specifically for clandestine means of communication between him and his long-term girlfriend.
“The mobile phone from Argos was sent to the partner’s home address but she had moved on.
“The police don’t know what happened to the phone.
Mr MacDonald and the woman had been in a relationship for 18 years but she has been subjected to social work involvement and advised that she should not have communication with him.”
Previous offences
MacDonald, a prisoner of HMP Perth, pled guilty to breaching the terms of the SOPO by owning or possessing more than one mobile phone between July 9 and 28 this year on King Street, Montrose.
The SOPO runs until September 2024.
MacDonald was jailed in 2004 after being caught with hundreds of thousands of indecent images of children.
Similar offences saw him locked up for 26 months in 2005, before being given a High Court jail sentence of eight years in 2012.
Sheriff George Way sentenced MacDonald to 20 months in prison.
