A Portlethen paedophile told an undercover police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl they would have “beautiful kids together”.
Ian Robertson was snared by an officer who set up a fake Snapchat account to identify internet users with “a sexual interest in children”.
And after adding the supposed child as a friend, Robertson, 38, quickly turned the conversation sexual.
In a vile string of communications, Robertson talked about meeting and having sex with the 13-year-old, as well as having children together and plotting what they could tell the girl’s mother.
‘I adore you’
Fiscal depute Rebecca Coakley told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Robertson added the “child” on Snapchat on July 11 2023.
Robertson messaged her the same day introducing himself and stating he was 36.
The girl replied stating she was only 13 and asking if that was okay, which Robertson said it was.
On July 13, more messages were exchanged, with Robertson sending a picture of himself and saying the 13-year-old was an “awesome girl”.
Robertson told her: “Love to see a video of you once you can, love to hear you speak.”
The account replied with a voice message, which Robertson said was “cute” and made him “so happy”.
The pair spoke again the next day and again on July 17 when Robertson sent an animation of Snapchat avatars with the caption “I adore you”.
That was accompanied by a message stating: “I bet you would prefer to be with me instead rather than being at school.”
Portlethen paedophile suggested hotel visit
Robertson went on to ask if the child would like to meet up one day and suggested going swimming and staying in a hotel.
He described her as “so beautiful and intelligent” adding that he wanted to give her a “big huggie” and asked if they could kiss.
Again asking for a video of her, Robertson sent a voice message in which he said: “Love you so much.”
When the child said she had never been in love, Robertson suggested he “could be her first”.
The next day he sent an image of himself blowing a kiss and told her he missed her and hoped she had a nice day at school.
Ms Coakley told the court: “The accused also asked the complainer what they would say to her mother when they met, and that he could come and see her the following month.”
In further messaging he advised he thought about the child “all the time” and about “having a good time with you” and having “lots of kisses and cuddles”.
Robertson asked if she was happy to “make out”.
Described decoy as ‘sexy girl’
On July 19 Robertson sent the child a video in which he advised he loved her and blew a kiss.
The decoy account then sent Robertson an image which purported to show her in her school uniform and they discussed her classes.
Robertson then sent a voice note in which he advised they would have “beautiful kids together” and that he loved her, asking if he could call her his “girlfriend”.
When the girl asked how this would work, Robertson said he could move to London to be with her.
The following day, Robertson send a message stating: “You would prefer to be with me making love.”
He advised that he would “wear a condom” and said he was there should the child ever wish to discuss sex.
On July 24, Robertson requested another picture and was sent one purporting to show the child in her pyjamas. He replied saying he wished he could “cuddle up” to her and sent a picture of himself.
He said he wished the 13-year-old could join him as he was “all naked”.
In response to another image supposedly of the child a couple of days later, Robertson described her as a “sexy girl”.
Guilty plea
On July 28 the pair discussed Robertson going on holiday to Germany and he said he would “prefer to be with you and making love”.
During a conversation on August 14, Robertson said he hoped “one day they could have kids” and asked the child if she had ever “played with” herself.
He went on to say he had a “high sex drive” and that she should let him know if she ever wanted to “talk sexy”.
Between August 15 and September 6 2023, the conversations continued in a similarly disturbing fashion until the decoy profile cut contact and the logs were passed to Police Scotland.
On October 3 2023, police knocked on Robertson’s door with a warrant.
He was cautioned and charged and replied: “I don’t know what happened that time.”
Robertson, of Easter Drive, Portlethen, pled guilty to sending sexual messages to what he believed to be a 13-year-old child.
Defence agent Kayren Stewart said her client had gone through a divorce and was isolated, “spending a lot of time on the internet”.
She added that he had autism and anxiety.
Ms Stewart went on: “Mr Robertson accepts full responsibility for his actions and is disgusted with himself.”
She added the first offender was “ashamed” of his actions.
‘You’re thoroughly disgusted with yourself’
Sheriff Rhona Wark told Robertson: “It’s of concern to me that the person you were communicating with identified themselves as a 13-year-old and yet you continued to communicate with them in an entirely inappropriate manner, which you identified as being wrong.
“With hindsight, you’re thoroughly disgusted with yourself.
“However, these issues need to be addressed.”
She imposed a two-year supervision order and 150 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff also ordered Robertson to complete the Aberdeenshire Sex Offenders programme and placed him on the register for two years.
She also imposed strict conduct requirements prohibiting Robertson from having any undeclared device capable of accessing the internet.
Additionally, he was banned from approaching or communicating with anyone under 18 without prior approval, with a condition to report any inadvertent or unavoidable contact.
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