News / Man sent indecent images to underage girls
A TWENTY five year old man from Lerwick who admitted sending indecent images of himself to girls under the age of 16 on photo sharing app Snapchat will be sentenced in November.
Robert Groat, of South Lochside, pled guilty at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday to intentionally causing four girls then aged between 13 and 15 to look at a sexual image of himself naked or wearing only underwear, and images of his naked penis and genitalia, on various occasions between 1 July and 16 August 2014.
He also admitted intentionally causing a girl then aged 16 to look at a sexual image of himself only wearing underwear and with his naked penis exposed on an occasion between 1 and 31 August 2014.
The offences were committed at an address in Bressay or elsewhere and the images were all sent via Snapchat.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said that, as a 23 year old at the time, Groat was “outwith the age range” where being friends with the girls could be considered normal.
In one instance a girl added Groat on Snapchat, which is used on mobile phones, to ask him about a rowing team he was starting.
However, he started sending her a number of images, leading up to ones where his genitals were showing.
A similar pattern repeated itself across four other girls.
Mackenzie said the images were “completely unwanted and unexpected” by the victims.
The one of the girls, who was aged 13, was “extremely distressed” and told her father, who went to speak to the dad of another one of the victims.
While on his way there he happened to bump into Groat outside a shop, who initially denied sending the images and claimed his account had been hacked.
In the next couple of days, however, the 25 year old admitted to the father – and parents of the other victims – what he had done.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client accepted his wrongdoing and has co-operated with the court process to bring the case to conclusion.
Sheriff Philip Mann said he was obliged to call for social work reports due to the nature of the offences, which he described as “extremely serious”.
The case was adjourned until 23 November for criminal justice social work reports to be prepared, with Groat subject to Sexual Offences Act notification requirements.
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