Repeat offender Andrew Hay, who has previous convictions for similar crimes, will remain behind bars while he awaits sentence after pleading guilty to a number of charges.
The 22-year-old, who appeared in the dock at Ayr Sheriff Court in handcuffs, admitted causing a child to look at a sexual image and communicating indecently with them.
He also sent sexual messages to one youngster in a state of undress, for the purposes of sexual gratification, or of humiliating, distressing or alarming them between November 2023 and February 2024 at a property in Ayr.
Hay pleaded guilty to causing a third teenager to look at a sexual image after sending a photo of his privates between December 1 and December 31, 2023.
The court heard he made 60 calls to one complainer and 399 calls to another, and regularly referred to one of the young victims as his “girlfriend”.
Procurator fiscal depute Craig Wainwright said a parent of one of the complainers attended the child’s school raising concerns that her daughter and her friend had been communicating online with the accused.
The prosecutor said: “Prior to attending the school, she had searched his name and established he was previously convicted of communicating indecently with children.
“The school contacted police and officers attended her [the girl’s] home address and made her aware applications disclosed to her mum were used by the accused to communicate indecently.
“Officers spoke [to another complainer’s family] and made them aware the accused had been communicating online with her daughter. She showed officers his Facebook profile and confirmed she had received a Facetime call.”
The court heard that Hay sent a Snapchat to one girl stating: “I love you.”
The fiscal depute added: “Officers later attended [other complainer’s] address who confirmed he had communicated [when she was still a teenager]. She met the accused through a friend, he told her to add him on Snapchat.
“When first contacted the accused said was he 15 and she described the conversations as ‘flirty, weird, told her he wanted to get her into bed, that she was beautiful, he wanted to touch her’ and he sent her pictures. He asked to see her bottom but she refused.
“He contacted her on Snapchat, TikTok, by text message and voice call, they communicated every day.
“When he called her on Facetime and she saw his face this confirmed he was not 15.
“He sent her a collage image containing images of her friend including her breasts, saying she was ‘beautiful’.
“She replied saying this was disgusting and that she would make her friend aware.
“He replied referring to her as ‘his girlfriend’.”
Hay added another youngster on the messaging app and sent her a picture of his privates, before being immediately blocked.
He also sent one complainer a “lengthy message about meeting up and having sex”.
Hay was later arrested and charged and gave a ‘no comment’ police interview.
Defence solicitor Tony Currie told the court: “You will see while remanded the accused turned 22.
“You will see his record which includes a sentence imposed where he was made subject to a significant community payback order in February 2023 for three years.”
Sheriff Desmond Leslie said: “I will call for a full range of background reports, while these are prepared you will remain in custody.
“You will also be subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act on an interim basis.”
The case was adjourned, with the fiscal depute requesting a five-year sexual harm prevention order.
Hay will return to court later in the new year.