A creep from Kirriemuir caught in a police sting trying to arrange the abuse of a six-year-old child has narrowly avoided prison.
Paul Carabine was told his discount for pleading guilty at the first opportunity was that he would not be jailed.
Married Carabine, 46, was nailed by undercover police posing as a woman offering her daughter up for sexual abuse.
The former casino worker told them he was “interested” in travelling to London to meet up, not realising he had spent months chatting with a Met officer.
Carabine, who now lives with his father in Carronshore, near Falkirk, was ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to prison.
The 46-year-old will spend the next three years under supervision and on the Sex Offenders Register.
Twice invited to London
His solicitor Brian Bell said: “As a result of this offence, his marriage is now at an end.
“He’s considered a low risk of reoffending.
“He can’t really explain it.
“One thing that can be said for him – that I can say regarding the actual offence – is that it’s a slightly unusual case.
“It wasn’t paedophile hunters, it was a police officer.
“She was based in London. I think there’s two occasions where she tried to invite him down to England.
“His position is he never had any plans, although it looks as if he did.
“On two occasions, he could have gone down. He didn’t.
“He’s embarrassed. He regrets his behaviour, as he should. He’s ashamed.
“He can’t give any explanation as to why he engaged in this type of discussion.”
Maximum alternatives
At Forfar Sheriff Court, Sheriff Paul Brown told Carabine: “This is a serious matter.
“Due to your lack of record and the forum that this case is prosecuted in, I’m bound by law to consider alternatives to custody.
“In my view, only a substantial community-based disposal can be considered here.
“This is an alternative to custody. If there’s any breach of this, you can fully expect custody.”
As well as imposing the maximum supervision and unpaid work sentences available, the sheriff made a string of strict requirements.
Carabine must not have contact with anyone under 18 unless approved beforehand and can only have one device with access to the internet.
He must also disclose to his social workers any change of address and new friendships or relationships.
Offence
At a previous hearing, Fiscal depute Jill Drummond said: “An undercover police officer assumed the identity of a 40-year-old female named Victoria.
“They created email and messenger accounts, allowing the user to interact on a one-to-one basis.”
Her profile on messaging platform Kik was “Naughty Vic”.
Ms Drummond said: “The undercover officer joined several public groups on Kik with the common purpose of sharing a child, or images of a child or children – in her case, sharing a daughter.”
On chatroom site ChatiW, the account name was “Mum Of Trained”.
The fiscal depute explained: “This is an indication that she has ‘trained’ or abused a child of her own.”
The prosecutor said: “On August 17 2022, the accused used ChatiW and sent a message to Mum Of Trained.”
The exchange immediately became highly explicit, with Carabine asking a series of questions about sexual activity involving the girl and her physical condition.
After explaining his handle on Kik was “knickersniffer38”, Carabine wrote: “I’m David, by the way.”
Explicit chat
The pair continued conversing on Kik and the sexual exchange continued from August 17 to October 26.
When told the girl was “still a little sloppy” with certain sex acts, Carabine replied: “Practice makes perfect,” adding a smiley emoji.
At one point, Carabine was asked: “Are you interested in her, or just fantasy talk?”
He replied: “I’m interested.”
Ms Drummond said: “He asked if they could talk for the first time on a private app.
“The undercover officer replied that she wanted them to start with trust, particularly if they were going to talk about the abuse of her child.
“He wanted to know what the child was able to do and what the officer would be willing to let her do.”
Carabine was invited to travel to London but he said it would be difficult with his “work and his wife.”
When the Met officer again tried to ask about a meet-up, Carabine did not respond.
Officers descended on Carabine’s former Kirriemuir home in early November.
Two of Carabine’s mobile phones, containing all the exchanges, were seized.
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