Married Lossiemouth man snared by 'paedophile hunters' is placed on the Sex Offender's Register

A GROUP of paedophile hunters snared a Moray man who thought he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl.

But the girl was in fact an adult decoy who had set up a fake social media account to lure paedophiles into being exposed and then have them arrested.

Married man George Innes (57) of Community Way, Lossiemouth, appeared by video link at Inverness Sheriff Court and admitted sexually communicating with someone he thought was a child.

He admitted sending the decoy girl sexual images, including of his penis, between June 5 and June 23 this year.

He has been on remand since the offence having instructed his lawyer, Stephen Carty, not to apply for bail.

Fiscal depute Pauline Gair said that the group, based in England, contacted counterparts in Scotland to go and confront Innes at his home with their dossier.

"The meeting was streamed live on social media with Innes saying he was sorry, and that he had ruined his life.

"He then went into his kitchen to get a knife, which he held at his throat." Mrs Gair went on.

She added that group members, fearing he would harm himself, then removed the knife from him and police were called.

Mrs Gair told Sheriff Sara Matheson that Innes was communicating with the decoy on a daily basis and sent numerous sexual messages and 14 images, some consisting of his private parts and one of him in his underwear.

He made remarks asking the "teenager" if she would go topless on her holidays, if she minded chatting about sex and made other more salacious comments.

Mr Carty said his client had no previous convictions and a background report would be required. He added that he had once more been instructed not to apply for bail.

Innes will be sentenced on November 28 after reports, including a Restriction of Liberty Order assessment, have been done.

He was immediately placed on the Sex Offender's Register.