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Sex offender sent texts to 13-year-old girl after seeing her mobile phone number written on a bus seat

The 33-year-old, who has various convictions for sexual offences, breached a court order preventing him from approaching or contacting females.

Ian Hay appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Image: DC Thomson
Ian Hay appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Image: DC Thomson

A convicted sex offender who was ordered not to approach females has been caught sending unwanted text messages to a 13-year-old girl.

Ian Hay found the young teenager’s mobile phone number written on the back of a bus seat on March 23 last year.

The 33-year-old, who has various convictions for sexual offences, was under a court order preventing him from approaching or contacting females.

But Hay has breached the ban multiple times since it was imposed on him more than a decade ago.

He landed back in the dock after randomly sending WhatsApp messages and a Snapchat friend request to the girl, who told her mum about the unwanted attention.

‘What you up to?’

Fiscal depute Rebecca Thomson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that the court order, which has no expiry date, was handed to Hay in November 2012.

He was not allowed to approach or contact females in Aberdeen without their consent or unless it was unavoidable.

However, Hay defied the restriction when he messaged the girl, who received the text from a number that was unknown to her.

He asked: “Hey Maddy, how’s you? What you up to?”

The girl, who is not actually called Maddy, replied: “Hey, who are you?”

Hay responded: “Sorry, must have the wrong number. Who is this? Doesn’t matter. I’ll delete your number. Sorry for bothering you”.

The girl texted back, “okay” – intending to end the conversation, the court heard.

But Hay continued it, messaging: “I am Ian, by the way. Not that you are interested”.

He told her that he was 33 and asked her age.

When she replied and stated she was 13, he said: “Oh, okay bye.”

‘Where do you live?’

The young teenager took screenshots of the messages and Hay’s WhatsApp profile picture and sent them to her mum, telling her she didn’t know who he was.

Another message from Hay then followed, asking: “Where do you live?”

After the girl replied, “this world”, Hay said he was sorry for bothering her.

The girl deleted the messages but saved his number as “Ian – 33”.

The fiscal added: “She was aware that her phone number was written in a bus by her friend as a joke.

“Later the same day, she received a friend request from the accused on Snapchat, however, this was ignored and deleted.”

Hay, of Jasmine Terrace in Aberdeen, was cautioned, arrested and taken to Kittybrewster police station after the girl’s mother reported the messages to the police.

He then admitted to breaching his Anti-social Behaviour Order (ASBO).

‘Act of madness’

Hay’s defence agent Iain McGregor said his messages were an “act of madness” on the part of his client.

“He saw this number written on a seat and for some bizarre reason decided he would contact that number,” Mr McGregor explained.

“He should have been well aware it was likely it would be a female connected to it. He accepts that.

“Unfortunately, that was not the end of the matter and he followed up with Snapchat contact. He accepts he simply should not have done that.”

‘In and out of prison on regular basis’

The solicitor added that Hay has served multiple jail terms for previous convictions and “persistent breaches” of his order and “if this continued he will be in and out of prison on a regular basis”.

Hay was considered a suitable candidate to participate in a rehabilitation programme that he has not yet completed.

Sheriff Andrew Miller ordered him to carry out the ‘Moving Forward: Making Changes’ treatment programme for sex offenders.

He was also sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work and a two-year supervision order.

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