A man who sent a string of sexual text messages to a 15-year-old boy who found his number on a toilet wall will be sentenced next month.
Brian MacLennan, 47, previously pleaded guilty at Oban Sheriff Court to intentionally sending messages of a sexual nature to the boy during a 14-hour period between August 11 and 12 last year.
Sentence was deferred on MacLennan, of Caravan 3, Barranrioch Farm, Glencruitten, Oban, until yesterday for background reports.
The court heard previously that the boy was on holiday in Oban with his father and brother on August 11 last year when he obtained a phone number from graffiti on a wall of the gents toilets in Tesco.
The message claimed that sex was available by contacting the number.
The boy texted the accused, with questions including “Are you into guys” and “Are you gay?”
The court heard that the accused responded graphically, asking the boy “What are you into?”
MacLennan sent the boy 143 text messages, which became increasingly graphic and explicit. A similar number was sent in reply by the boy.
Police were contacted after the boy’s older brother, 17, snatched the phone and read the texts, alerting their father.
Sheriff Ruth Anderson asked in court today: “I assume he (MacLennan) put his number on the wall of the gents toilet?”
Solicitor Laura McManus said: “That is not accepted.”
Sheriff Anderson said: “I’m afraid to say I’m finding that really difficult, given what then took place.”
She told MacLennan: “It is very important whether you find it embarrassing, whether you are ashamed or wish none of this had happened, that you speak fully and frankly to social workers. It has happened. You have pleaded guilty to this charge and you have to be open and honest.
“I am not impressed with your explanation or lack of explanation for the fact that it was your telephone number on the wall of this public toilet that resulted in this young man willingly communicating with you.
“Let’s just be practical and exercise some commonsense here. If you had not known that your number was there then your reaction to the first message would have been totally different.
“I want you to think about it all very carefully over the next few weeks.”
Sentence was further deferred until October 26.
