A Perth paedophile posted photos of local schoolgirls and shared twisted rape fantasies on an online dating app.
William Innes, who was caught with a hidden cache of child abuse material, boasted he got aroused every time he walked past a school.
Police made efforts to trace the children whose images the 24-year-old distributed to fellow Grindr users.
They found he had taken the photos from their parents’ social media accounts.
Innes appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted discussing child abuse and sending photos of children in uniform in a series of messages that were “grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character” between September and October 2021.
He also pled guilty to possession of child abuse images between January and August that year.
Phone hidden under pillow
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney told the court: “Police Scotland received confidential information that a device using an IP address linked to the accused’s home address was involved in child sexual abuse material during June 2021.”
Officers descended on the property in Simpson Square armed with a search warrant.
The door was answered by Innes’ housemate, Mr Sweeney said.
“The accused was summoned to the living room and the nature of the inquiry was explained to him.”
Police recovered a Samsung mobile phone from under a pillow in Innes’ bedroom.
“A preview indicated there were illicit images of children on it,” the fiscal depute said.
“The accused was arrested and taken to police headquarters in Dundee.”
The phone was analysed by the cybercrime unit and 28 files related to child sexual exploitation and abuse were recovered.
The 26 still images and two videos – downloaded from messaging app Kik – featured girls as young as nine years old.
Five files were at the highest end of the court’s obscenity scale, the court heard.
Fantasies
Mr Sweeney said: “Concerning communications were also found on the phone application Grindr.
“This is a dating app for gay and bi-curious men in which they can exchange messages.”
Innes posted on the app under the username “Horny” with two devil emojis.
“He was engaged with a variety of other Grindr users,” said Mr Sweeney.
Innes told one man that he would “love to rape his sister”.
Asked if he had done anything with her, Innes replied: “I wish. Stole her thongs… Always planned to meet her… to rape her.”
In another exchange, he wrote he was interested in “sexy young boys in sheer tights” and schoolgirls.
Innes said he got aroused every time he drove or walked past a school.
Photos of local girls
During the chats, Innes shared photos of schoolgirls, including one aged between 11 and 13 and said he would “rip her school uniform off” and be “extremely rough” with her.
He shared fantasies about raping a young girl after picking her up from school.
Mr Sweeney said: “The images of children dressed in school uniform appeared to be from Perth schools.
“Enquiries were made to trace the children.
“The photographs appear to have been taken from their parents’ social media accounts.”
Sheriff Grant McCulloch deferred sentence for background reports until March 1.
Innes, whose address was given in court as Simpson Square, Perth, was released on bail.
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