A Fraserburgh man who planned to meet an underage girl for sex has avoided jail because the sheriff said the child groomer’s victim didn’t actually exist.
David Buchan travelled to Union Square in Aberdeen to meet the 13-year-old, who turned out to be a fake Facebook profile created to trap child sex offenders.
Police officers were waiting for the 58-year-old – instead of the fictitious teenager from Liverpool – and he was arrested before blaming his unlawful urges on “loneliness”.
Buchan later pled guilty to the charge of trying to “obtain sexual gratification” from the girl between August 6 to November 3 last year and arranging to meet her for sex.
But in court, the sheriff hearing the case decided he wouldn’t lock up Buchan because his sickening interactions with the teen hadn’t been with an “actual” young person.
Fraserburgh paedophile David Buchan sent sickening messages to fake child
Peterhead Sheriff Court heard that Buchan – a commercial fisherman – had sent a Facebook friend request to the fake teenage girl.
But, unknown to him, she was actually one of the volunteers of an online protection team that monitors various social media accounts waiting for groomers to make contact.
Fiscal depute Ruaridh McAllister told the court that Buchan befriended the teen and then remarked that her “eyes were stunning”.
McAllister added: “She asked how old he was and he replied to say he was 57 and from Fraserburgh.
“She told him she was 13 and from Liverpool, and he asked if she wanted to be his girlfriend and have sexual intercourse with him.”
Within the messages, Buchan also described oral sex and expressed a desire to perform it on the underage girl.
Buchan continued to message the teen, telling her she was “lovely” and that he wanted to “make love” to her.
Snared sex offender Buchan admits he knew he was doing wrong
She replied to ask if it was allowed because she was only 13, but Buchan reassured her it was fine, adding he would “bring condoms so she would not get pregnant”.
On November 3 last year, Buchan arranged to meet up with the child at a hotel in Aberdeen, after asking her to travel up to the city.
Mr McAllister told the court that Buchan had said he would book a hotel and invited the teen to stay at his house for a week “to have sex”.
However, when he arrived at Union Square to meet the teen, he was instead met by police officers and arrested.
He later admitted that he had known she was only 13 years old.
Buchan’s defence agent Sam Milligan said his client’s behaviour was “out of the blue” and had been the result of “social isolation and loneliness”.
Fraserburgh man avoids prison
Sheriff David Mackie said it was a “very serious” offence, but because it did not involve meeting an “actual” 13-year-old girl, he would not be imposing a custodial sentence.
He sentenced Buchan, of Afton Road, Fraserburgh, to a two-year supervision order and placed him on the sex offenders register.
Sheriff Mackie told Buchan he could not communicate with “any female or person under the age of 16”.
The sex offender must allow police officers to check his electronic devices and internet history and tell them if he enters into a relationship.
“If you breach this order, there is a high risk of a custodial sentence,” Sheriff Mackie warned Buchan.
