Sex offender caught as ‘girl aged 12’ turned out to be police officer

A 52-year-old sex offender, caught in a police operation in which he had online sex chats with a person he believed to be a 12-year-old girl, has been sentenced to supervision.

Peter Houlihan’s messages were being sent straight to a police officer as part of a decoy operation run from England.

Houlihan, of Back o’ Yards, Inverkeithing, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He previously admitted that between December 8 and 11 he sent sexual communications via the Whatsapp and Fast Flirting platforms to a police officer, then posing as a 12-year-old girl.

Sheriff Alastair Brown imposed a community payback order with six months of supervision.

Houlihan was also placed on the sex offenders register.

Depute fiscal Freya Anderson-ward previously told the court East Midlands Police had set up an operation in which officers would pose as children online.

An officer was making posts as a 12-year-old girl called Sam on the

Fast Flirting platform when Houlihan made contact.

They engaged in a conversation, which they then moved on to Whatsapp.

At one point, Houlihan said to “Sam”: “You’re only a kid”.

However, he then went on to make the conversation sexual, repeatedly asking her about a sex act.

He continued asking Sam about sexual matters over “a prolonged period”.

When arrested, he claimed he thought “Sam” was 18.

However, defence solicitor Aime Allan said her client accepts he was told the girl was only 12 and his comment to the police when arrested was made out of “panic”.

She added: “He can offer no explanation for his behaviour and accepts he made a huge mistake.”

“He can offer no explanation for his behaviour and accepts he made a huge mistake