A former security guard at Leven’s Diageo complex was caught by fellow workers after sending a sexually explicit message to a 14-year-old girl.
David Anderson’s colleagues had become concerned about the 56-year-old’s behaviour on his phone to someone they suspected was a young female, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard.
They checked his unattended phone, found vile messages to the youngster and screenshotted them to show police.
Caught by workmates
Procurator fiscal depute Lee-Anne Barclay told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court: “A conversation had taken place between witnesses and Mr Anderson and he had indicated that she was 18 and had encouraged (the girl) to confirm this on a video call”.
Ms Barclay said Anderson left his phone unlocked on a table and one of his colleagues looked at it and took screenshots of a Facebook Messenger chat.
The fiscal depute said it contained sexual content.
Witnesses established the girl was only 14 years old and one of them contacted police.
The court heard Anderson was arrested on October 2, 2021, then interviewed and charged, before being released on a police bail undertaking to appear at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court at a later date.
Ms Barclay said one of Anderson’s undertaking conditions was not to contact the girl.
But the fiscal said a witness at Beveridge Park saw him about a week later with the girl in a car and police were informed.
Anderson of Denbert Place in Kennoway, was arrested again on November 4 2021 at the Diageo site.
Guilty
He pled guilty to sending a sexually explicit message to the girl and engaging in a sexually explicit conversation with her at Diageo Scotland Ltd, Banbeath Road, Leven and elsewhere, on September 4 2021.
The charge states this was done intentionally and for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification or of humiliating, distressing or alarming her.
He also admitted breaching a condition not to contact her by phoning her and arranging to meet her at Kirkcaldy’s Beveridge Park, between October 31 and November 1 2021.
Defence lawyer Martin McGuire said Anderson and the girl had initially spoken on social media about health issues which led to inappropriate and sexually explicit conversation.
Mr McGuire said his client, who is no longer employed at the Diageo site and has been working at a local car wash, has a “relatively limited record” and no analogous convictions.
‘You may have a predilection’
Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith told Anderson the matter was especially serious as his victim was vulnerable.
The sheriff said: “There may be an element of grooming by you”.
Sheriff Niven-Smith also highlighted to Anderson that, having been released, he flagrantly disregarded a condition not to contact the girl.
He said: “Having regard to the nature of the charges… I consider you are a potential danger to the public, in particular young children.
“You may have a predilection”.
Sentence was deferred until May 9 for the production of background reports and Anderson was remanded in custody.
He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register meantime.
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