Man who admitted offering teenage boy money for sex walks free from court

A married man who offered a boy he believed was 14-years-old £15 for sex while his wife was pregnant has walked free from court.

Qamar Iqbal, 39, used gay dating app Grindr and thought he was chatting online to a teen, but instead he was snared by a vigilante group in May last year.

Iqbal using the name 'Fani' sent further explicit messages and a picture of himself from his home in Glasgow’s Anniesland.

He pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to sending written sexual communications to a child.

The first offender also admitted making arrangements to meet a child.

Sheriff Martin Jones QC tagged the cash and carry worker for six months keeping him indoors between 7pm and 7am.

Iqbal was also placed under supervision for three years and put on the sex offenders register for five years.

Sheriff Jones said: “This is an alternative to custody.

“If you breach this order the consequences will be extremely serious.”

A previous hearing was told Iqbal contacted the decoy named Robin stating he was looking for a “bottom friend.”

Prosecutor Lauren McRobert said: “He followed this up by stating ‘I give you every time £15, but first f***ing.”

He was repeatedly informed by the decoy that he was speaking to a 14-year-old boy.

Iqbal replied: “No problem, I like sex, you’re looking beautiful” before repeatedly agreeing to pay the decoy the money.

A meeting was agreed at the city’s West Street subway station where members of the vigilante group pounced on Iqbal.

The confrontation was live streamed on social media were Iqbal said he was married to his pregnant wife.

He also continually apologised, claimed he made a “big mistake" and stated it was a "joke."

Defence Counsel Claire Connelly told the court his domestic circumstances haven’t changed since the incident.

Hear all the latest news from across the North of Scotland on MFR. Listen on FM, via our Rayo app, DAB, or smart speaker.