Train station worker caught by vigilantes in paedophile sting is jailed

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A train station worker caught by vigilantes in a paedophile sting has been jailed for a year.

James Gilchrist made "chilling" comments to an adult posing as a 14-year-old girl.

Members of Secrets and Lies teamed up with volunteers from another group, Protecting Kids Scotland, to expose him.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard they found him behind the ticket counter at Blantyre train station.

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Gilchrist, 64, admitted having communication of a sexual nature with a person he believed to be a child between May 9 and 12 last year.

He was living in Auchinraith Avenue, Hamilton, at the time but has since moved to Clyde Tower, East Kilbride.

John Coogan, prosecuting, said an adult vigilante created a fake online account and was contacted by Gilchrist who told 'Charlotte' she was beautiful and he wanted to "treat her with all respect".

Despite being told she was only 14, he asked her to send him a picture and began to talk about sex.

At one point he suggested they could meet up for dinner and offered to buy her underwear.

On May 15 last year the vigilante groups tracked him down to Blantyre train station and their confrontation was livestreamed on Facebook.

Police were called and Gilchrist admitted that he'd done wrong.

He told officers: "It started with me having normal conversations and things became more adult. I should have stopped but I didn't."

Defence lawyer Diarmid Bruce said Gilchrist's 26-year marriage had ended and he'd lost his job because of his "foolishness".

Mr Bruce pointed out that his client has no previous convictions, adding: "This appears to have been an aberration. It's been a disaster for him.

"He's been duped and criminally engaged with this group. He has paid a heavy price."

Sheriff Colin Dunipace rejected a plea for a community payback order instead of a prison sentence.

He told Gilchrist: "I have a duty to protect children in this community. What I heard of your communication was chilling, what you were asking that person to do.

"I would be failing in my duty if I didn't impose a custodial sentence."

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