A sex offender has admitted running up a bill of more than £4,000 on a council mobile phone by calling premium-rate sex chat lines.
Alexander Atkinson, from Dufftown, was banned from using devices capable of making calls or accessing the internet without telling the police nearly two years ago after approaching girls aged 11 and 12 in the street and asking to see their feet.
The 27-year-old, who is known to have a “foot fetish”, has already had his PlayStation games console seized after he was found to be using it to circumvent the rules.
And at Elgin Sheriff Court yesterday he admitted using a mobile phone which had been left in a locked box at his home by his support workers.
Fiscal depute Kevin Corrins revealed the sex offender had run up a £4,196 bill on the Nokia device in less than two months after using it to call Babestation, other sex chat lines and family members.
Council staff were already aware that Atkinson was placing and responding to “risque” adverts in newspapers.
However, they did not know he was using the phone they had left at his home for their support staff until the large bill detailing several unusual calls and texts was received on May 15.
Mr Corrins told the court: “Inquiries were carried out at Moray Council and it was confirmed that none of the support workers had made use of the mobile phone during the billing period. Thereafter it was reported to the police.
“The accused admitted he had been using it to contact family members and to call Babestation.
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“The device was examined and it was found that calls and texts were sent to premium-rate sex chat lines and similar outlets and numbers known to be the accused’s mother.”
Mr Corrins told the court that although Atkinson knew he was not supposed to have access to the phone – which was locked away with a combination code – he had been in the room several times when the container was opened.
Council support workers visit the offender four times a week due to his “mild” learning disabilities, the court heard.
His solicitor Matthew O’Neill reserved mitigation comments until sentencing.
Atkinson, who is in custody, admitted breaching his bail conditions and breaching the terms of his sexual offences prevention order by using a device capable of sending electronic messages between March 14 and May 7 without informing the police.
Sentence was deferred until August 29.