Penicuik teenager attempted to lure girls to his '˜sex business'

A teenage boy, who contacted two young girls telling them they could make lots of money by carrying out sexual acts, as part of a business he had set up, was tracked down when schoolmates of one of the girls told a teacher.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Jun 2017, 10:55 BST
Updated 31st Aug 2017, 15:03 BST

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday (June 29) 19-year old Calum Sawyers of Rullion Road, Penicuik, pled guilty to repeatedly sending indecent messages and images to a 13-year old girl and 16 year old girl, both of whom lived in England. The offences occurred between December 1, 2015, when he was 17, and March 8, 2016. He also admitted being in possession of indecent images of children.

Fiscal Depute, Aidan Higgins, told Sheriff Frank Crowe that two separate investigations had been going on at the same time. Police in England were looking into what had been reported about the girls, while police in Scotland were investigating intelligence about Sawyers having indecent images in his home.

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Mr Higgins said matters came to light in early February 2015. The 13-year old girl had told friends she had been receiving messages from Sawyers asking her to carry out sexual acts for money as part of a business he had set up. This had been relayed to a teacher, who contacted the police. The girl told them that Sawyers said what this involved was her meeting with males and engaging in sexual acts for money. The Fiscal added the girl was told she could make a lot of money this way. The rate for normal sex was £1000 an hour, £5000 for “torture play”, £10,000 for “slashing and cutting” and £50,000 for sex with animals.

The second girl was contacted in February 2016 when she was asked to send him sexual images of herself. Mr Higgins said she was told: “She was the youngest person he had working for him”. Sawyers later told the police he thought the first girl was 17 years old, but was aware that the second was only 16. His mobile phones were found to have still and movie sexual images of children aged between five and 14.

Sheriff Crowe told Sawyers’ defence solicitor, Matthew Nicholson, that he would require reports and Mr Nicholson said he would give his plea in mitigation when the case recalled. Sheriff Crowe told Sawyers: “These are serious matters” and deferred sentence until July 27. Sawyers was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and told the length of time he would be on the Register would be decided at that time. Bail was continued.