Paedophile jailed after being snared by vigilante group

A paedophile who believed he was going to meet a schoolboy has been jailed for two years after being snared by a vigilante group. Mark Sutherland, 36, spoke to who he believed was a 13-year-old boy on the dating app Grindr.

They exchanged messages and sick Sutherland sent explicit pictures after being told the boy was a young teen, and even made arrangements to meet up.

But the person Sutherland was talking to was 48-year-old Paul Devine, part of group called Groom Resisters Scotland.

Another two members of the organisation turned up to Partick Bus Station in on January 31, this year to meet Sutherland and stayed with him until police arrived.

After a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court, Sutherland was unanimously convicted two charges under the Sexual Offences Act between January 18 and 31, this year, including going to meet who he believed to be a 13-year-old with the intention of engaging in “unlawful sexual activity”.

Sheriff Martin Jones QC jailed Sutherland for a total for two years.

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

He said he spoke to Sutherland - who has a similar previous conviction - on Grindr then they swapped numbers and texted using WhatsApp.

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

Pervert Sutherland was told “I’m only 13” within the first few messages 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 wasn’t working.

After he was told again 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”.

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 on January 31, 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.”

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 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