A man who sent a woman indecent images from a fake social media account was placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for 18 months yesterday.
Derek Clyde, 43, of 54 Springfield Gardens, Inverness admitted behaving in a threatening manner by sending the woman offensive and threatening messages and images of a sexual nature on October 3.
Sentence had earlier been deferred at Inverness Sheriff Court for a background report.
The court heard that Clyde had set up an account under the name of Alan Smith and began sending various messages and images to his victim.
Fiscal depute Fraser Matheson said: “They began with compliments but then he sent one ‘Cow, Derek.’
It was followed by an image of a naked female and further messages insinuating that it was the woman.
“He asked for indecent images of her, then called her a ‘slag’ before sending a threatening message and another indecent image.”
Defence solicitor Ken Ferguson told Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood: “He was drunk at the time and pretended to be someone else.
“He knew the woman and his position is he was responding to images of her that he was seeing that were posted by her.”
Ordering Clyde to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work, Sheriff Fleetwood told him: “If she wants to post images of herself on social media then that is up to her.
“But she shouldn’t have to receive unsolicited images of other women by someone who is apparently a stranger.
“You deliberately hid behind a false identity and sent indecent images to another female. I view this as a serious offence of a sexual nature and you will be placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for 18 months.”