A girls’ football coach from Dundee who set up online profiles to groom a 14-year-old by paying her to send him explicit photographs has been placed under supervision.
Former soldier Christopher Sinclair, 41, specifically targeted one youngster and bombarded her with messages from Instagram and Snapchat accounts for more than a year.
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, eventually agreed to send photographs of herself to Sinclair, who used ‘picsandvidsbuyer’ as one of his online accounts.
Factory health and safety adviser Sinclair, of Balerno Street, admitted grooming a girl online from his former home in Arbroath between June 1 2021 and July 22 2022.
He returned to the dock at Dundee Sheriff Court to be sentenced, having met with social workers since admitting his crimes.
‘Direct alternative’ to prison
Sheriff James Williamson placed Sinclair under supervision for three years as an alternative to imprisonment and on the Sex Offenders Register for as long.
The sheriff said: “He was pretty persistent in his attempts to contact.
“I take the view that a three-year community payback order is the appropriate disposal.
“I think the work needs done with him in terms of the Moving Forward: Making Changes programme.”
Addressing Sinclair, the sheriff added: “If you breach that order, it will come back to me.
“This is a direct alternative to custody.”
Solicitor Angela McLardy said: “He fully co-operated and accepted responsibility from the outset.”
Ms McLardy said following the conclusion of a long-term relationship, Sinclair had been using social media as an “outlet”.
She explained her client had reached out to social work for help prior to his conviction and has sought help from “other agencies and groups.”
During his order, Sinclair must only have one device capable of accessing the internet, it must be declared, made available to social workers for inspection and retain all internet history.
Any social media use in this period must be approved in advance and any new phone numbers or email addresses Sinclair uses must be declared.
Sleazy requests
Fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie previously told the court: “He was a volunteer coach with a girls under-15 football team.
“The complainer received an Instagram message from ‘picsandvidsbuyer’.”
Sleazy Sinclair messaged: “Figure is insane, looking good, nice bum.
“If you get pics I would love to see them – maybe send you a little reward as a thankyou.”
Sinclair signed the message off with a winking face emoji.
In further messages, he wrote: “I’ll make you a deal, 5 pics for 50. You send the first 2, I’ll pay 50, and then you send the rest.”
When she blocked him, Sinclair set up more accounts and begged her to reply.
The girl – based in England – told Sinclair she wanted a £30 advance and he immediately sent the money to her bank account.
He said: “If you would like more money then send a photo of you.”
The girl sent him a faceless image she had recovered from the internet but after paying, Sinclair realised it was fake and confronted her.
He sent a further £50 and an explicit request or more images for £100.
Sinclair was a weapons instructor when he served in the armed forces and later worked as a close protection officer in the private security sector.
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