Paedophile caught by vigilante posing as 13-year-old boy

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Sutherland has a previous conviction for sending explicit pictures and inappropriate message to a 12-year-old boy

A paedophile who believed he was going to meet a schoolboy is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being caught by a vigilante group.

Mark Sutherland, 36, started talking to James Boyle, who he thought was a 13-year-old boy, on the dating app Grindr.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard he then sent explicit pictures and made arrangements to meet up.

But the person Sutherland was talking to was Paul Devine, part of group called Groom Resistance Scotland.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard another two members of the organisation turned up at Partick Bus Station on 31 January this year to meet Sutherland and stayed with him until police arrived.

Sutherland was unanimously convicted of two charges under the Sexual Offences Act between 18 and 31 January, including going to meet who he believed to be a 13-year-old with the intention of engaging in "unlawful sexual activity".

In evidence Mr Devine told how a fake profile was created as "bait" to draw in others.

WhatsApp messages

He said he spoke to Sutherland, who has a similar previous conviction, on Grindr.

They then swapped numbers and texted using WhatsApp.

Messages exchanged between Mr Devine, as the teenager, and Sutherland were shown to the jury.

In one of the earliest exchanges Mr Devine messaged Sutherland: "I'm only 13".

But the court heard Sutherland then sent an explicit photograph and asked: "you like?".

He also asked the child to send him a picture but Mr Devine replied that his camera was smashed and was not working.

After he was again told the boy's age, Sutherland asked: "Would you like to meet up some time?".

Procurator fiscal depute Mark Allan asked: "That's a direct question to you, posing as a 13-year-old?" Mr Devine replied: "Yes."

A further naked picture with Sutherland covering himself with one hand and taking a picture of himself in a mirror with the other hand was sent, and an image of his face.

The messages moved to WhatsApp after the pair exchanged numbers.

Sutherland sent a warning saying "remember to delete the chat" and "don't let anyone see my number".

Previous conviction

He also volunteered to send a video of himself carrying out a sex act to the "child".

Before they agreed to meet at Partick Bus Station, further vulgar messages were sent by Sutherland.

In his speech to the jury Mr Allan said: "He offered to, who he believed to be the child, what you may think a menu of acts from which to choose and made it abundantly clear his intention was to involve what he believed was a 13-year-old."

Sheriff Martin Jones QC deferred sentence until next month and remanded Sutherland in custody.

He told him: "You can expect a lengthy custodial sentence".

In November 2015 Sutherland was jailed for 21 months after he sent a 12-year-old explicit pictures and inappropriate messages two years earlier.

The boy said he had told Sutherland he was 12 years old, but the contact between them continued.

He told the schoolboy the area that he lived in, and suggested they should meet.