A convicted paedophile from Fife has been jailed again after admitting contacting a child by text message on an illegal phone.
Darren Whyte, 35, was placed on a Sexual Harm Prevention Order last year at Dundee Sheriff Court but moved to Aberdeen because he was “being hassled” after his conviction.
Whyte, formerly of Cupar but now of Victoria Road in Torry, was banned from having a mobile phone without telling his supervising officers.
He is also banned from contacting anyone under the age of 18, without written approval.
Appearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Whyte admitted having a secret phone and using it to contact a 13-year-old child.
Hidden phone
The court was told officers carrying out a routine search of Whyte’s address on January 30 this year found a basic phone with no internet capability.
They returned less than a week later, on February 5, and Whyte admitted he had a new Samsung phone, which he had tried to hide when they arrived.
He admitted using the device to “contact persons on social media whom he believed to be 13 or 14 years old”.
Fiscal depute Brian Young said: “He reported that one user had told him they were 13.”
On the seized phone, officers found messages with someone who said they were aged thirteen and replies from Whyte who had also claimed to be the same age.
The court heard there was no sexual content within the messages.
Hassled in Dundee
Whyte’s defence agent Lee Qumsieh, said his client had cooperated, adding: “He also should not have been communicating with people of that age.”
Mr Qumsieh explained Whyte had moved to Aberdeen after having “difficulties” in his previous address.
He said: “People had found out about his past and previous convictions, and he had a lot of hassle.
“He wanted a fresh start in the North East. He was lonely and got the phone so he could speak to people.
“He accepts he was in breach of the terms of the order – he is subject to this rather stringent order for seven years.”
Jailed
The court was told Whyte’s previous convictions had involved eight different complainers and one online decoy.
Last September Whyte told the “child” – actually an adult – he would pay £15 in exchange for indecent images.
Whyte was also caught hiding an illicit smartphone in his trousers after lying to staff at homeless accommodation.
Sheriff William Summers said: “This is a serious offence.
“The order prevents you from having a phone or contacting children – you have breached both these conditions.”
He said only a custodial sentence was appropriate and jailed Whyte for 20 months, backdated to when he was placed on remand on February 2.
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