Court / Supervision for man who sent sexually explicit messages to teenager

A THIRTY one year old man from Staffordshire who sent sexually explicit Snapchat messages to a 14-year-old girl in Shetland over a three month period has been put on supervision for two years.

Jake Tuckwell, of Garfield Crescent, Stoke-on-Trent, appeared for sentencing at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday morning.

Tuckwell pleaded guilty to the charge, which was committed between 1 April and 30 June 2023, during an earlier court hearing in May.

During the May hearing procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court how Tuckwell had been briefly introduced to the complainer who had been friendly with one of his colleagues.

He later engaged with her in a Snapchat conversation during which she informed him that she was just 14 years of age.

The teenager felt “extremely uncomfortable” as Tuckwell’s messages to her became increasingly sexual in content leading her to start screenshotting these and confiding in a colleague.

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Referring to a “detailed” criminal justice report before the court on Thursday, defence solicitor Tommy Allan asked sheriff Ian Cruickshank to follow the recommendations therein.

The sheriff imposed a community payback order with a period of supervision for two years including a not nearer specified support programme. The sentence was imposed as an alternative to jail.

Tuckwell’s name has also been added to the sex offenders register for the same period.