Transatlantic co-operation between police and Facebook led to a convicted sex offender being caught trying to lure young girls to send him indecent images of themselves.
But the offences were committed five years before Benjamin Mackay had been convicted of other sex offences, including possessing indecent images of children and sexually assaulting a drunk and asleep woman in a London flat.
As a result, shaven-headed Mackay, of Woodlands Close, Westhill, Inverness, was treated as a first offender at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday and a background report was called for.
Mackay, 25, who is serving a three-year sentence for the London offence, admitted four sex offences, involving four girls under the age of 16.
The former lifeguard at Inverness Leisure Centre, who had also been convicted of asking young girls at the swimming pool to send him naked pictures of themselves, will re-appear for sentence on July 23. He was placed on the sex offender’s register.
Fiscal Sharon Ralph told the court that a former girlfriend of Mackay had been interviewed by police investigating one of his previous offences. She told officers the names of some girls with whom he may have had Facebook involvement, the prosecutor went on.
Mrs Ralph added: “Thereafter an International Letter of Request made to Facebook resulted in a certified copy of evidence being sent to the police which allowed them to identify the four girls.”
Mackay admitted trying to extort more indecent images from one girl in 2013 by threatening to publish a naked photo of her already in his possession.
He also pleaded guilty to sending sexual communications to three other girls asking for naked photos of them.
Mrs Ralph said Mackay would either use his real name or a pseudonym “Danny Smith,” and lie about his age to make the requests.
All the girls refused to comply with his demands, despite him telling one that he loved her, she added.
Mrs Ralph then told Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood she would be seeking a Sex Offences Prevention Order on Mackay after she had more information from Police Scotland.