Fife man snared by hunters claims he repeatedly tried to end sex chat with ’14-year-old’

A predator who engaged in a filthy online chat with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl had repeatedly told her she was “too young”.

Married Kevin Wood, 43, was snared by members of an online paedophile hunting group.

He believed he was chatting on Facebook to a teenager but she was actually an adult woman with the voluntary Child Online Safety Team.

Fiscal depute Catherine Stevenson told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court: “On June 27 2024 at about 8 pm the accused messaged the profile saying ‘hi’.

“The witness replied saying she was Ruby and she was 14 from Liverpool.

“The accused acknowledged her age and said she was too young.”

A conversation occurred in which Wood told her she should be chatting to boys her own age and the girl’s virginity was discussed.

Ms Stevenson continued: “The witness said she wouldn’t know how to do stuff.

“The accused said ‘I’ll leave it there’.

”The witness stated it was just chatting and the accused has told her he’s looking for love.

“He said she would get a boyfriend in Scotland if she was old enough and it’s a pity she wasn’t.”

Conversation continues

The fiscal said the conversation continued later.

“The accused asks the witness ‘bet you haven’t seen a c**k before? Is that something you want?”

He went on to make obscene comments about the “girl’s” private parts.

“He then stated ‘This is just between us’,” Ms Stevenson said.

The woman reported the conversation to the police.

Solicitor Dewar Spence, defending, said his client sent the first message in error and repeatedly tried to halt the conversation.

He said: “The messages begin because he thinks he’s texting a person he’s contacted before.

“When she says she’s 14, he says she is too young.

“He’s been drinking and the other party continued the conversation.

“I counted about 17 times where he tries to end the conversation and all that came back is ‘We are just chatting’.

“He can’t give an explanation other than the attention he was receiving.”

He said that the incident had cost Wood his marriage and may have to leave the area due to abuse on social media.

Wood, of Methilhill, admitted attempting to communicate indecently with a child between June and 27 and June 30 this year

Sentence was deferred for reports.

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