A Fife photographer who attempted to lure a 12-year-old girl to a photoshoot and “teach” her about sex has avoided a jail sentence.
Kevin Anderson, 43, thought he was communicating online with a schoolgirl called Megan.
He was in fact talking to an operative from the Yorkshire and Humber organised crime unit.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard that while Anderson engaged in sexually explicit conversation with the decoy, he sent numerous images of women in sexualised poses, claiming he was a photographer who took similar pictures.
He also sent the undercover officer an image of a female performing a sex act.
Police later searched his house and found 13 child abuse images and one graphic video on two mobile phones.
Moving Forward programme
At an earlier hearing, Anderson pled guilty to possessing the indecent images between July 30 2019 and May 26 last year.
He also admitted attempting to sexually communicate with a young child and attempting to cause a young child to view a sexual image, between October 1 2021 and November 5 2021.
Anderson, of Seacraig Court, Newport-on-Tay, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for sentencing.
Sheriff Alison McKay told him: “You will understand this matter is a serious one and I have to consider two things: the protection of the public going forward and the other is punishment in relation to your conduct.
“Bearing in mind you are a first offender, and the positive terms of the (background) report, I am satisfied it’s appropriate to deal with you by way of a community-based order”.
Sheriff McKay ordered Anderson to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and placed him on supervision for three years.
Anderson was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.
He must also attend the Moving Forward: Making Changes Programme and adhere to a number of conduct requirements.
The sheriff warned Anderson that the sentence is a direct alternative to prison.
Sexual conversation
The court heard previously that the “Megan” profile was used on the Kik messenger app by an undercover operative from The Yorkshire and Humber organised crime unit to target sexual offending.
Procurator fiscal depute Laura McManus read to the court a summary of messages from the online chat.
Early in the conversation, the decoy child stated she was 12 and made reference to being “in class”.
Anderson later wrote that it “won’t be long until you can rip your uniform off and get into bed”.
He went on to say he was a photographer and throughout the conversation sent numerous pictures of women in sexualised poses, saying he had photographed similar.
The fiscal depute said Anderson then asked “Megan” to send a full length photo.
He said she should show off her legs with a shorter skirt and that said it was a pity she did not pose in “cute outfits.”
The conversation developed the next day, with Anderson saying: “I’m sure you will love sex”.
He said: “It’s always awkward at first but you will be fine.
“If you ever come for a photoshoot maybe I can teach you sex”.
Asked by “Megan” if that is really what he would like to do, Anderson replied: “Yeah if you wanted to”.
An isolated lifestyle
After further sexual messages Anderson sent the profile an image of a female performing a sexual act and a female wearing a short skirt.
Officers from the NCAIU Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Unit were granted a search warrant for the house in which he lived with his mother.
Anderson was later traced at his workplace.
Two mobile phones were recovered and both contained child sexual abuse material, including one 45-second video of the most graphic category A kind.
Another 13 category C images were also found.
At his sentencing on Tuesday, defence lawyer Lee Qumsieh pointed out that his client accepted full responsibility from the outset when interviewed by police.
The solicitor said first offender Anderson is willing to engage fully with any work to reduce the likelihood of committing offences in future.
At an earlier court hearing, defence lawyer Martin McGuire said Anderson lived an “isolated lifestyle” and struggled with depression, and used social media to communicate with people with no intention of meeting them.
The solicitor said Anderson had since lost his job.
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