A man has appeared in court after allegedly attempting to coerce what he thought was a 13-year-old girl into sexual activities – only to find he was speaking to an adult.
Duncan McLaren, 41, of Ward Road, appeared on petition at Dundee Sheriff Court charged with child sex offences and the possession of a controlled substance.
Prosecutors claim that, between August 12 and 17, at several locations unknown to the procurator fiscal, McLaren sent sexually explicit communications to someone he believed at the time was a teenage girl.
However, the youngster McLaren allegedly believed he was speaking to was someone older, pretending to be a 13-year-old.
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McLaren is further accused of attempting to coerce his victim into participating in sexual activities.
He has been accused of sending indecent images to his victim, and of intending to meet with her for the purposes of carrying out sexual activities.
Prosecutors say he carried out all of the above in order to obtain sexual gratification for himself, or to humiliate, distress or alarm his alleged victim.
McLaren has also been charged with possessing cannabis on South Ward Road on August 17.
He made no plea or declaration during the short private appearance in court and his case was continued for further examination.
McLaren was bailed meantime by Sheriff Alastair Brown.
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