Penicuik teenager tried to recruit girls for sex work

A teenager who told young girls they could make money by carrying out sexual acts for his business has been put on a community payback order for three years.

Calum Sawyers, 19, from Penicuik, had previously pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to sending indecent messages and images to two girls.

The girls, aged 14 and 15, lived in England.

He also admitted being in possession of indecent images of children.

The offences happened between December 2015, when he was 17, and March 2016.

Sheriff Frank Crowe had heard two separate investigations were going on at the same time.

Separate investigations

Police in England were looking into allegations about the girls, while police in Scotland were investigating intelligence that Sawyers had indecent images in his home.

In early February 2015, the 14-year old girl told friends she had been receiving messages from Sawyers asking her to carry out sexual acts for money as part of a business he had set up.

A teacher was told who in turn contacted the police.

The girl told officers that Sawyers had said the "work" would involve meeting men and engaging in sexual acts for money.

The second girl was contacted in February 2016 when she was asked by Sawyers to send sexual images of herself. She was told she was the youngest person he had working for him.

His mobile phones were found to have still and video sexual images of children aged between five and 14.

Sawyers' defence solicitor, Matthew Nicholson, said his client had co-operated with those trying to help him.

The sheriff told Sawyers the offences were serious, but he was taking into account his youth and some psychological issues.

He was told he was not to communicate with children under the age of 17 without the permission of his supervising officer and any communication equipment he had could be investigated at any time by police or social workers.

He was also put on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.