A man appeared at court on Monday afternoon charged with child grooming offences after being confronted by an online “child protection” vigilante group.
Ross Ottaway, 36, appeared in private and made no plea or declaration at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Ottaway faces two charges of sending an indecent communication to a child and communicating with a child with the intention of making arrangements to meet them.
Ottaway, who gave an address in Dundee, faces charges of contravening the protection of children and prevention of sexual offences (Scotland) act 2005, and the sexual offences (Scotland) act 2009.
He was committed for further examination and granted bail.
The group which confronted Ottaway has since removed any mention of the incident from its website and social media pages and a recording which was posted online has also been removed.
Police warned such vigilante groups not to take the law into their own hands following their arrest and made moves to assure the public all of the appropriate steps were being taken to protect them.
Inspector Nicky McGovern, of Police Scotland’s Tayside Division, said: “We take these reports very seriously and are currently making enquiries into what was reported to us.
“I would urge the local community to allow us to make the necessary enquiries and not take matters into their own hands.
“I would like to reassure the public that all reasonable steps are being taken to protect them.”
