Man caught by child decoy

A FORFAR child sex offender was snared by a paedophile-hunter who pretended to be a 13-year-old girl.

Antony O’Hare, 53, had indecent images of children on his Samsung phone, as well as engaging in sexual conversations with what he believed – and had been told – was a young teenage girl.

Warehouse worker O’Hare thought he was speaking with a girl called Zoe, who was in fact a man named Barry Cootes.

Over a five-month period O’Hare sent explicit pictures of himself performing sexual acts, as well as telling her he liked her “small boobs”.

He would send messages via the Kik app and other social media messengers, telling “Zoe” the depraved things he wished to do with her.

The decoy continually identified as being 13 years old and when they asked O’Hare, of Strathmore Avenue, Forfar, if sexual intercourse would hurt he responded “only the first time”.

Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney told Dundee Sheriff Court: “This is a paedophilehunter case – the witness is a decoy who posed as a 13-yearold girl.

“The accused communicated through various apps.

“When age was mentioned to the accused he continued to communicate and became increasingly sexualised.

“The decoy, witness Cootes, pretended to be a 13-year-old named Zoe Herd.

“On September 30 2020, O’Hare sent a message to ‘Zoe’, with witness Cootes responding she was a 13-year-old girl. “O’Hare said he was 52.

“The accused asked ‘Zoe’ for Kik details. Communication continued through Kik messenger.

“He sent an image to ‘Zoe’ of him and his dog.

“He asked if she wore pyjamas to bed and that she had ‘nice, small boobs’ and that he would like to see more pictures of her.”

Mr Sweeney continued: “He told ‘Zoe’ they could get a room together and ‘cuddle’ ‘when the virus was over’.

“He told her he would like to wrap her up for Christmas.

“The decoy asked O’Hare if ‘sex would hurt’ and he responded ‘only once’.

“He sent ‘Zoe’ a picture and video of his penis.

“He continually asked to meet her.

“He asked for her mobile number.”

Mr Cootes eventually contacted police with the information O’Hare had shared with him.

Police arrested O’Hare, who responded to being cautioned and charged with: “I’ve been asked for images.

“I sent them, I am not going to lie.”

When police searched his Samsung phone they found indecent images of children aged between five and eight years old.

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael called for social work and criminal justice reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment, granting O’Hare bail.

O’Hare pleaded guilty on indictment to attempting to communicate indecently with a child and possessing indecent images of children between September 30 2020 and February 7 2021.

He will return to Dundee Sheriff Court on June 7 for sentencing.

He has been placed on the sex offenders register.

Antony O’Hare has been placed on the sex offenders register.