Accusedof under-age sexchat
A Stirling man is accused of sending messages and images of a sexual nature to someone he believed to be a female aged between 13 and 16.
Jack Millar, of Strathmore Drive, appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court on Monday charged with offences under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009; the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005, and a charge under the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.
The 21-year-old is alleged to have carried out the offences between December 14 and January 4 using an online messaging application.
Charges state Millar had repeatedly communicated indecently with an adult posing as a female child aged between 13 and 16 – and repeatedly sent her sexually explicit images. A third charge alleged that Millar had made threats of sexual violence to a person purporting to be a child aged 14. A further charge alleged Millar, ‘whilst not reasonably believing the teenager was 16 or over’ made travel arrangements with the intention of meeting said person and the intention of engaging in unlawful sexual activity.
The case was continued without plea until January 25 and Millar was granted bail meantime.
Stirling Council parking wardens have come in for criticism after last week ticketing people attending the funeral of a 29-year-old Raploch man.
Five drivers parked near St Mary’s Church, Stirling, received tickets while attending the service for Kevin McGeoch on Friday morning . Kevin tragically died on December 17, devastating family and friends, and more than 500 people attended the church before he was laid to rest at St Thomas’s Cemetery, Cambusbarron. Known as ‘Kegsy’ by friends, 29-year-old Kevin had been a promising footballer. He played for Clyde FC and was also signed by Dundee United.
Andy Wilson, father-in-law of Kevin, called the fines “immoral” and accused Stirling Council of ‘targeting’ the funeral.
He said: “We were just wanting to pay our respects to someone who has passed on. I’m very upset about the whole thing.
“Stirling is the only city in Europe where you have to pay £35 to pay your respects. This is not the first time that this has happened either.”
According to Mr Wilson, the piper for the service had to stop playing during the service to deal with the parking warden.
He claims the warden told the
piper he had five minutes to get a ticket or he would be fined.
Mr Wilson, 50, said mourners were unable to pay for parking before the service as the ticket machine on Upper Bridge Street was broken.
Those who received tickets are planning to appeal the decision and Mr Wilson hopes to speak to his councillor about the incident .
But he said an officer he contacted refused to discuss the issue with him.
A spokesman for the council tickets were only issued to cars that were parked in ‘residents only bays’.
He added: “Five tickets were issued by our parking enforcement officers on Queen Street for parking in ‘residents only’ bays. It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure they are complying with the clearly outlined parking regulations, otherwise they risk enforcement action.
He added: “Our Parking Enforcement Officers carry out regular patrols across our communities to ensure safe parking and road conditions for all users.”
The council also said that residents on both Queen Street and Upper Bridge Street have regularly complained about their parking spaces being occupied by people attending services at the church.
Local councillor Ross Oxburgh said: “This should not have happened especially as it was made clear why the cars were parked there and I would expect a full apology to be issued immediately as well as the tickets being cancelled.
“It must have been awful for the mourners to find this had happened while they were in the service.’’ •To comment on this story: email john.rowbotham@trinitymirror.com, or write to the Observer at 34 Upper Craigs, Stirling, FK82DW.