A GREENOCK pervert who sent sexually explicit messages and pictures to so-called paedophile hunters who were posing as young girls online has been spared jail.

A sheriff told George Ahara that he had ‘only just’ decided to impose an alternative to custody for the ‘very concerning’ offences, to which the 52-year-old pleaded guilty earlier this year.

Ahara, who now lives in Newbury, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to three indictment charges and confessed to the crimes after he was snared by online child protection groups.

George AharaGeorge Ahara (Image: Facebook)

He admitted sending sexual communications and attempting to communicate indecently with adult decoys whom he believed to be children under the age of 13.

The offences were committed on two occasions in June 2022 at Ahara's then home on Westmorland Road.

Ahara also pleaded guilty to a similar charge concerning what he understood to be a child who had not yet reached the age of 16.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard previously that Ahara had been in contact with a user he knew as ‘Rosie’ online over a week in June 2022.

The profile was actually being run by an adult who was a member of an online child protection group.

Despite having been told in the course of the chat that 'Rosie' was 12 years old, Ahara continued to send sexually explicit messages.

The woman behind the account then went to Ahara’s former address in Larkfield with other members of the group and live-streamed the confrontation on social media.

When challenged, Ahara said: “I was thinking she was an adult.”

Greenock Sheriff CourtGreenock Sheriff Court (Image: NQ)

A prosecutor told the court: “He acknowledged that he should have stopped talking when he realised the girls were so young.

“Police attended and were informed of the circumstances.”

Ahara was later arrested and charged, making no reply to the allegation, and a search warrant was granted for his home.

A black mobile phone was seized from the property, with the device's number corresponding with that which was shared with 'Rosie' in the online chat.

Then, on June 6 and 7, 2022, Ahara contacted an online dating profile belonging to ‘Darcy’, which was being run by an adult member of another online child protection group.

The messages sent were ‘immediately explicit’, with 'Darcy' then stating that she was 12 years old.

Ahara continued sending sexual messages and encouraged 'Darcy' to send a selfie, to which she replied with a photoshopped image of a female aged around 12.

The court heard that Ahara later sent a sexually explicit image ‘without warning or prompting’.

On June 18, 2022, the woman running the 'Darcy' account was on Facebook when she saw that another group had attended Ahara’s home.

She subsequently contacted police and provided screenshots of her conversation with him.

Ahara also admitted being in contact with a third profile belonging to someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.

The account had been created by a member of a child protection group who went by the name of 'Freya'.

During the conversation, 'Freya' stated her age, to which Ahara replied: “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I thought you were a woman.”

The court heard that he continued to be sexually explicit, despite her age having been disclosed to him.

After his arrest, Ahara provided a ‘no comment’ police interview in the presence of his solicitor.

Sheriff James Varney, who previously described Ahara’s behaviour as ‘appalling’ and ‘shameful’, told the first offender last week: “The nature of the communications was very concerning to listen to.

“The bottom line was that you ought never to have communicated with people you thought to be underage.”

Ahara will be supervised by criminal justice social workers for three years, and must complete 200 hours of unpaid work within 12 months as a direct alternative to custody.

He was put on the sex offenders register for three years.