Second Albion coach in court
Denies sending sex messages to teenagers
A second Stirling Albion youth coach is facing allegations of a sexual nature involving teenage boys.
Blair Barlow denied two charges claiming he had sent messages to the youngsters through an online messaging app between 2015 and 2017.
He is said to have sent messages of a sexual nature to one boy and an image of a sexual nature to another boy, both of them aged 13-16.
Twenty-two-year-old Barlow, of Borestone Crescent, Stirling, also denied a charge of recklessly supplying booze to two teenage boys, exposing them to the risk of intoxication.
Barlow coached a Stirling Albion Junior Academy squad that toured Holland last year and flew with them to the Netherlands.
Sheriff William Gilchrist set the trial for May 15 at Stirling Sheriff Court.
There will be a hearing on April 17 on the relevance of the charge of reckless supplying alcohol.
The court was told that the case had begun under solemn procedure, which would have required trial by jury, but had been reduced to a summary case to be heard before a sheriff alone.
On February 27, in a separate case, Stirling Albion youth development coach Alexander Robertson, 21, of Bridge of Allan, appeared in court accused of sending sexual online messages to four boys, one of them aged 11.
In the case of three of the boys it is alleged his intention was to humiliate them.
Robertson, who faces five charges, was ordered to appear at Falkirk Sheriff Court on April 24, when a date may be set for his trial by jury.
In a statement following Barlow’s court appearance a Stirling Albion spokesman said: “We can confirm a second coach has been on suspension in accordance with our child and wellbeing protection policy.
“Following contact from Police Scotland in May 2017, Stirling Albion’s direct involvement in this particular case ceased at the point of suspension.
“The club has had no role to play in the criminal investigation and there has been no contact with anyone associated with the club during the investigation into the individual concerned.”
They said: “Our commitment to a duty of care to everyone within the Stirling Albion football family does not waver and we will continue to adopt and implement best practice.”