A man who was caught by paedophile hunters has avoided a jail sentence – but says his life has been “devastated” by the sick revelations.
Glen Walker admitted contacting two fake online dating profiles set up by the online groups, which pretended to be girls aged 13 and 15.
Walker, 42, sent sexually explicit messages to the fake accounts, urging the “young girls” to meet him for sex.
He told one she wouldn’t get “in trouble” if she said she was staying at a friend’s house – urging her to keep things secret and delete messages.
But the group behind the “15-year-old”, Child Protectors Scotland, confronted Walker in a sting streamed live on its Facebook page, and handed the evidence to the police.
Learning of this, Confronted and Caught, the group behind the 13-year-old’s profile, also then contacted police.
‘He has lost his job as a result of this’
Walker’s defence solicitor Liam Mcallister said: “The publicity that this has caused has been devastating to him and his family.
“He has lost his job as a result of this affair.
“This is situation something that Mr Walker takes very, very seriously and he will address the issues that have led to this incident as a first offender at 42-years of age.
“He’ll also ensure he will never ever put himself in this situation again.”
The messages turned sexual
On June 23 last year a member of the group Child Protector received an online chat request from a user named Glen Walker.
She accepted the request and messages were exchanged, with the “child” immediately saying she was 15.
After exchanging mobile numbers Walker contacted her via WhatsApp on July 8 after which the messages started to become sexual.
Walker also discussed the female going to his house to watch pornography.
He demanded they meet for sexual activity
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a member of an English group called Confronted and Caught set up a dating website profile pretending to be a 13-year-old girl.
Again Walker contacted the female and engaged in conversation of a similar nature between July 25 and 28.
Walker admitted charges of sending sexual messages to what he believed was a 15-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl, and demanding they meet with him for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
‘You have been extremely distressed by this’
Sheriff Margaret Hodge said the social work report and risk assessment had provided “a great deal” about Walker’s background.
She added: “You’re not identified as being at a high risk of reoffending, but it seems to me you need to understand how actions have consequences.
“You perhaps need to gain a greater understanding of how these offences are viewed by society and the potential for harm.
“I do take into account that you have no previous convictions and that you have been extremely distressed by this and the effect on your family.”
Sherriff Hodge sentenced Walker, whose address was given as Crossgates, Bankhead, Bucksburn, to a community back order of 18 months with a supervision requirement.
He is also subject to notification requirements on the sex offenders register.
