A Fife man who told a 12-year-old on Snapchat he would rape her has avoided jail.
Joshua Nelson, 26, used an account called “easy money” to initiate contact with the girl on the instant messaging social media app, before sending messages including “I’m going to get you pregnant” and “I’m going to rape you x whether you like it or not.”
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court previously heard Nelson went on to send further explicit messages.
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane ordered him to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order and he will also be subject to supervision for a year.
Nelson was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 12 months.
The sheriff warned him any breach of the order would result in him coming back to court and potential custody.
‘Disturbed’ by messages
Fiscal depute Dev Kapadia said previously the girl told police she had told Nelson she was only 12.
Although screenshots of their later chats were gained, the police report said no screenshots of this message were obtained and Nelson maintained he had no knowledge of her age.
The depute fiscal said: “She was quite disturbed about receiving the messages and told her mother about the messages and both of them attended Kirkcaldy police station.”
The court heard Nelson was arrested in December and admitted to police the user name on the account received by the girl was his.
‘Disgusted’ by child suggestion
Nelson told police he had created the account anonymously so he could give money to females on Only Fans – an adult subscription-based social media platform, often used by sex workers and adult entertainment stars.
Mr Kapadia said: “He was shown the messages and said he remembered that conversation and he said ‘I’m usually quite a reserved person so basically that was a kink thing’.
“He said it was not malicious, that he was not saying he was going to do this, it was a kick, no malicious intent behind it, it was simply a sexual thing.”
The fiscal depute said Nelson was asked if he knew the complainer was 12 and he said he did not and that “it’s not something I have a passion for”.
Nelson told police it was “disgusting” and he would “not want anyone to do that to my daughter.”
Mr Kapadia added: “The officer said the accused appeared extremely shocked and mortified when told she was 12 years old.
“Everything else was screenshotted but the initial exchange was not screenshotted.”
Nelson, of Bowling Green Street in Cowdenbeath, admitted last month he communicated indecently with a child in July last year by repeatedly sending her messages of a sexual nature and stating he would rape her.
He appeared in court again on Monday for sentencing.
