Court hears man, 55, invited girl, 13, to his home for sex
Last updated 2nd Nov 2023
A 55-year-old man from Selkirk has admitted inviting a 13-year-old girl to his home for sex.
Murray Ballantyne, who lives in the town's Elm Row, also spoke about his private parts and asked the youngster things about her underwear during a series of telephone exchanges between February and May last year.
Selkirk Sheriff Court today (Thursday) heard he had given the girl his number "in case she ever wanted anything" after meeting her in town, and went on to buy e-cigarettes for her on various occasions, despite knowing she was underage.
Ballantyne was only caught after the teenager's older sister saw messages between the two on her phone and alerted police.
He admitted communicating indecently with the youngster, as well as buying or attempting to buy tobacco products for someone under 18-years-old.
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Ballantyne - who was dressed in full camouflage gear when he appeared in the dock - previously admitted stealing alcohol from the Aldi store in Hawick on December the 31st last year, as well as failing to appear at an earlier court hearing.
Sheriff Kevin McCarron deferred sentence on all matters until December 11th for background reports and placed Ballantyne on the Sex Offenders Register meantime.
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