BACKGROUND investigations have been initiated against 33-year-old Kristofer Lind, who has confessed to the offence of indecent communication with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.
Kristofer Lind admitted responsibility to the offence that occurred at his residence on Park Street, Hawick, between November 13 and November 21 of the previous year.
Prosecutor Charlotte Allan said Jedburgh Sheriff Court that Lind conversed with an undercover police officer posing as a 14-year-old female on the Whisper and Snapchat social media platforms.
Kristofer Lind transmitted multiple photographs of his face; however, the dialogue rapidly escalated to a sexual nature when he enquired about her underwear and forwarded an image of his genitalia.
He arranged to meet her and discussed the necessity of contraceptive precautions for their encounter.
It ended when Kristofer Lind removed the girl from his Snapchat account without explanation on November 21.
Ms Allan said police searched his home under warrant and the background furnishings matched the images Kristofer Lind had been sending from his phone.
Defence lawyer Ross Dow reserved his mitigation plea to the sentencing diet but pointed out his client had come to his senses and had blocked the girl on his phone on November 21.
Sheriff Peter Paterson said Lind would be made subject to the reporting requirements of the Sexual Offences Act – the length of which will be decided when he is sentenced on December 3.
He continued Lind’s bail which includes not to approach or contact anyone under 16 years of age.
UPDATE 08.12.24
A 33-year-old man, Kristofer Lind, who confessed to the offence of indecent communication with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, has evaded incarceration at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.
Kristofer Lind admitted responsibility to the offence that occurred at his residence on Park Street, Hawick, between November 13 and November 21 of the previous year.
A prior hearing revealed that Lind conversed with an undercover police officer impersonating a 14-year-old female named M on the Whisper and Snapchat social media sites.
Kristofer Lind transmitted multiple photographs of his face; nonetheless, the dialogue rapidly escalated to a sexual nature when he enquired about her undergarments and dispatched an obscene photograph.
He also organised a meeting with her and discussed the necessity of employing contraceptive measures during their encounter.
The situation concluded when Kristofer Lind inexplicably erased the girl from his Snapchat account on November 21. The police executed a search warrant at his residence, and the interior decor corresponded with the photographs Lind had transmitted from his phone.
Defence attorney Ross Dow noted that his client had regained composure and had blocked the girl on his phone on November 21.
Sheriff Kevin McCarron instituted a supervised community payback order for a duration of two years as a direct alternative to incarceration.
He additionally mandated Kristofer Lind to do 150 hours of community service and imposed the notification obligations of the Sexual Offences Act for the subsequent two years.
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