Latest Offenders Helensburgh

Description

This social media predator targeted seven young girls in a series of sex offences.

David John Milligan was in his 40s but posed as a younger man when engaging in sexualised chats with children as young as 12 on Snapchat. A court heard he asked for and sometimes received indecent images from the youngsters and sent them pictures and videos of his genitals.

The pervert's disgraceful behaviour only came to light when police seized his devices as part of an investigation into him having indecent images of children. They then discovered he had also been in touch with girls aged between 12 and 15 online.

One victim, who was 14, said Milligan added her on Snapchat and appeared friendly and she thought he was about 17. He then started asking about her underwear and turned the chat sexual and told her what he wanted to do to her.

Milligan, living in Newcastle at the time but now of Townhead Road, Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, Scotland pleaded guilty to a total of 18 offences, including sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in a sexual act, causing a child to watch a sexual act and three attempted offences in relation to victims who did not provide statements. He also admitted possessing 424 category A indecent images, 524 category B, 5,653 category C. He also had 35 prohibited images and 55 extreme pornography images featuring animals.

Judge Sarah Mallett jailed him for six years and told he must sign the sex offenders register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order, all indefinitely.