A paedophile sent a picture of his private parts to a girl he believed was only 15 and asked her if she wanted sex.
But sleazy Jose Sanchez was caught out when a paedophile hunters group snared him in a sting operation outside the Mercure Hotel in Ayr.
Sanchez, 33, a sheet metal worker at Prestwick Airport, appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court last week for sentencing.
He previously admitted at an earlier hearing to intentionally attempting to communicate indecently with a person he believed to be a 15 year-old girl called ‘Chloe.’
The crimes took place between August 9 and September 9 last year and the charges on the indictment also state that Sanchez committed the offences for the purposes of sexual gratification, and that he did repeatedly send the girl written messages of a sexual nature and indecent photographs.
And Sanchez, of Eglinton Terrace, Ayr, further admitted travelling on September 9, 2018 with the intention of meeting the fake 15 year-old girl with the intention of having sex with
her.
Fiscal Depute Ed Sheeran told the court how Sanchez got in touch with the fictitious 15 year-old via the Skout app.
Mr Sheeran told the court how, over the course of time, the witness “repeatedly made references to ‘Chloe’ being 15 and underage.”
“Despite this,” said Mr Sheeran, “The accused asked her ‘Have sex and it’s illegal and you never had sex?’
Sanchez also made a reference to a sexual act with his tongue.
Mr Sheeran continued: “The accused also sent her a picture of his private parts , asking whether she would like to have sex with a guy. It’s clear he was obtaining sexual gratification.”
The court was also told how a meeting was arranged between the pair on September 9 and on attending the meet Sanchez was confronted by the decoy Chloe and other members of the Wolf Pack Hunters UK group, who filmed the incident live.
Mr Sheeran said: “A meeting was set and the decoy, along with other persons, met Sanchez and challenged him in relation to his actions.”
Police were contacted and Sanchez was arrested and taken to Ayr police office.
Mr Sheeran added: “Police witnesses made statements and the accused was interviewed.
“He spoke freely and made full admissions. He was cautioned and charged and made no reply.”
Defence solicitor Lauren Fowler said: “It was always his position that he would tender a plea of guilty.
“There was a lot of encouragement by this group member to engage him in conversation in an attempt to think she may have been interested in him.
But that attention was inappropriate.”
Ms Fowler also stated that there were a number of messages between the pair that were “fairly innocuous.”
She continued: “He’s a Spanish national and has to accept that he succumbed in relation to their conversations and arranged to meet her outside the hotel where he was residing.
“A group approached him then filmed it. It was online before he even appeared in court and clear for the public to see.
“He was working at Prestwick Airport and led a fairly solitary life. He kept himself to himself.”
Sentence was deferred for reports.
Ms Fowler said: “The report states he’s a low risk (of reoffending) and he cooperated fully with this investigation and attended the police station on a daily basis.
“He has no previous convictions whatsoever and accepts his responsibility.”
Sheriff John Montgomery said to Sanchez, who was in court with an interpreter and supported by his family from Spain: “You cooperated with the police in relation to this. I have decided that a custodial sentence is not necessary in the circumstances.”
Sanchez was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work in the community which must be completed in the next six months and placed under supervision for six months also.
He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
