Youth coach ‘sent sexual messages to four boys’
A YOUTH development coach at a football club appeared in court yesterday accused of bombarding four boys with sexual messages.
Alexander Robertson, 21, who worked at League Two side Stirling Albion, is alleged to have “repeatedly” sent online messages to three of the boys, who were aged 13 to 15 at the time, to “obtain sexual gratification” or “humiliate, distress or alarm” them.
The messages are said to have been sent between August 2013 and February last year. It is claimed Robertson repeatedly asked two of the teenagers to accompany him on car journeys and asked the third for pictures of his body.
It is alleged he also repeatedly asked the fourth boy, then aged 11 to 14, to join him on car journeys and requested pictures of his body, eventually inducing him to send pictures of himself “in a state of undress”.
The offences are said to have taken place at Robertson’s home in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, and at other locations including Dunblane, Stirling, Clackmannanshire, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Robertson faces five charges under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act.
Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court, he spoke only to confirm his name. Virgil Crawford, defending, said his client pled not guilty.
Sheriff Craig Caldwell renewed bail and ordered Robertson to reappear on April 24, when a date may be set for his trial.