Pervert who preyed on girls told: 'No alternative to prison'

PERVERT WHO PREYED ON GIRLS TOLD: 'NO ALTERNATIVE TO PRISON'

A 28-year-old man with an infatuation for underage teenage girls was jailed for a total of 21 months at Inverness Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told the court: 'There is no alternative to a prison sentence.' Cameron Mackay, who had lived in Thurso but whose address was given on court papers as Peffery Road, Strathpeffer, was already on bail from Tain Sheriff Court in April 2022.

There was a special condition not to communicate or be in the unsupervised company of anyone under the age of 16.

He was also told he must not have internet enabled devices without permission.

In August 2022, Mackay, staying at a property in Balintore, struck up a relationship with a girl aged between 13 and 14 through Snapchat, with sexual communications exchanged, including photos and videos.

He also persuaded another 14-year-old girl to perform sex acts and exchanged explicit images with her.

Police raided his home and found a phone with around 500 stills and videos of young girls, taken between September and October 2023.

Additionally, he had 13 category C indecent images.

He was arrested after police discovered he had internet-enabled devices in defiance of bail conditions.

During transport to the police station, he behaved aggressively, threatened officers, and made offensive comments about race and disability.

His sentence was deferred for a background report, and he was remanded in custody, having prior convictions for possessing indecent images of children.

He admitted five charges including breaches of bail, possession of indecent images, and threatening behavior.

He is to be placed on the sex offender register for 10 years.