A man who sent a string of sexual text messages to a 15-year-old boy who found his number on a toilet wall appeared in court yesterday.
Brian MacLennan, 47, 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 September 15 for background reports. Sheriff Ruth Anderson ordered that his name be placed on the Sex Offenders Register in the meantime.
The court heard 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.
Fiscal Eoin McGinty said: “It is fair to say the instigation was by the boy texting the accused, with questions including, ‘Are you into guys’ and ‘Are you gay?’.”
Mr McGinty said the accused responded graphically, asking the boy, “What are you into?”
Over the course of 14 hours the accused sent 143 messages, which became increasingly graphic and explicit. A similar number was sent in reply by the boy.
The boy’s father and brother, 17, noticed he seemed “somewhat distracted”. His brother snatched the phone and read the texts, alerting his father.
Police were contacted and the boy gave an account of his contact with the accused.
Sheriff Anderson said: “It is a matter of fact that the complainer was not 16 and the accused knew this from the outset.”
A not guilty plea to making arrangements for the boy to travel in order to meet with the intention of engaging in unlawful sexual activity was accepted by the Crown.