Edinburgh Crime: Pervert Edinburgh salon boss asked ''schoolboy' for naked pictures

A nail salon owner who begged who he believed to be a young boy to send him naked pictures of himself has been escaped a jail sentence.

Mathew Wilkinson asked ‘13-year-old Thomas’ about the size of his penis and if the lad had gone through puberty during the sordid online chats.

Wilkinson, 37, also filthy sent messages to the boy’s account on the JAK application including asking “do you play with it?” and “take a photo of yours - I would love to see it”.

The pervert was subsequently confronted by members of the paedophile hunter group Wolf Pack Hunters UK outside his Edinburgh nail salon after it emerged he had been contacting a decoy.

Pervert Wilkinson arriving at Edinburgh Sheriff Court

The confrontation was live-streamed on the group’s Facebook page and was viewed by hundreds of social media users in April 2018.

Paedophile hunters catch Edinburgh pervert sending 'nauseating and alarming' messages to 'schoolboy'

Wilkinson pleaded guilty to to sending sexually explicit communication and repeatedly asking for the child to send him images when he appeared at the capital’s sheriff court earlier this year and was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 18 months.

Sheriff Adrian Fraser also ordered him to carry out 216 hours of unpaid work.

Nailed: Pervert Mathew Wilkinson

Prosecutor Abbie McKearly told the court an online account in the name of 13-year-old Thomas was set up on the JAK app by Wolf Pack member Oliver Baird.

Wilkinson contacted the account in February 2018 and continued to communicate with Mr Baird despite being told the lad was just 13.

Ms McKearly said: “The conversations continued and the decoy is asked ‘what are you wearing? - briefs or boxers?’.

“The decoy is told to be a good boy. The decoy is asked ‘do you have a photo of your willy?’.

“The accused told the decoy he was a cute little boy and take a photo of yours, referring to his penis.

“I bet it would look very cute - I would love to see it.”

READ MORE: Snared by paedophile hunters: Edinburgh hotel pervert sent 'girl' 13' indecent image

Wilkinson was confronted at his nail bar in Newington which was live streamed on the group’s Facebook page.

Police were contacted and when officers arrived they were handed all the chat logs concerning the indecent communication.

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