Coach sent intimate photo to child
A FORMER football mascot has been put on the sex offenders register after he was convicted of sending an indecent photo of himself to a 15-year-old boy. Blair Barlow was also placed under social work supervision for two years. Last month, the 22-year-old, who performed as Stirling Albion’s mascot Bino the Bear, was found guilty of sending the intimate photo to the schoolboy on Snapchat. Barlow said he had “misclicked” on his phone and had meant to send the image to a potential hook-up on gay dating app Grindr. Sexualised messages were also sent to the 15-year-old boy and his friend, in which Barlow discussed masturbation. Barlow, who BY GEORGE MAIR reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk coached the League Two side’s junior academy, appeared for sentence at Stirling Sheriff Court yesterday.
The court previously heard that the boys who received the images were nothing to do with Barlow’s football coaching.
Barlow, of Stirling, was found guilty of attempting to cause a child to look at a sexualised image between May 2015 and May 9 last year.
His lawyer Harry Coughlin said yesterday: “He rarely ventures out in the community now and his mental health has been affected.”
Sheriff William Gilchrist told Barlow it was “a serious offence”. But he said he had taken into account that the pervert was a first offender.
Barlow coached the Stirling Albion Junior Academy 2002 squad of 15 who toured Holland last year.
Stirling Albion said he was suspended as soon as the allegations surfaced.