A CROWD gathered outside a Helensburgh man's home as he was confronted live on Facebook about messaging someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl, a court has head.

Francis Emmott, 62, sent enough messages over a week to fill 14 pages to someone who was actually a man in England acting as a decoy.

Emmott pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to attempting to communicate indecently with someone defined in law as an "older child".

Between March 16 and March 25, 2022, from his home in Fisher Place, Helensburgh, he intentionally and for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification or of alarming a person he believed to be a child over 13 but under 16, caused the recipient of the messages to view sexual images and sent them sexual written communications.

But when arrested he insisted police he "hadn't done anything wrong".

Fiscal depute Tiffany Chisholm told the court that the witnesses in the case were involved in online groups.

Ms Chisholm said that at 8.10pm on March 16, the decoy registered on the website Meet4U as 'Claire', and listed her age as 18.

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A photo was added to the profile that was adjusted to look like a child.

There was general "chit chat", and then the decoy said they were aged 13.

The decoy mentioned being in school, and said they lived in Darlington.

Emmott, Ms Chisholm said, asked about photos, was talking about sex, and repeatedly reminded the decoy to delete messages.

Emmott got frustrated when he was told the "girl" couldn't send photos. There were numourous references in the messages to the decoy's age and to school.

Messages continued and then, switched to WhatsApp which is encrypted.

Emmott gave the "girl" detailed instructions on how to carry out a sex act, and sent a video of sexual activity between adults.

He also sent a photo of himself.

The online team found Emmott's address, and witnesses turned up for their "sting".

The court was told that a woman approached Emmott and told him: "I'm here to speak to you about your online activities."

She livestreamed her conversation with Emmott and he could be heard making several admissions.

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Emmott said he thought she was aged 18, but he was shown messages saying the decoy was 13.

"He admitted he should have stopped speaking to her then," said the fiscal.

Police attended as a crowd gathered outside his home.

When arrested, Emmott said: "I have not done anything wrong."

A search warrant of the property recovered various devices and notes with passwords, but "nothing of evidentiary value".

When interviewed by officers, Emmott suggested he didn't understand, and there was some question as to whether an "appropriate adult" was needed.

But it was later confirmed that Emmott did understand the process.

At a hearing on August 29, Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said: "This is clearly a very serious matter. The court needs to know as much about you as possible.

"You don't seem to have a record of serious offending."

He put Emmott on the sex offenders register, with the length of time he will remain on the register to be determined at sentencing, and deferred sentence until a later date for background reports.

Emmott remains on bail.