AN internet predator from Edinburgh who groomed a 13-year-old girl for sex was today jailed for eight years.
Steven Brodie swapped about 200 text messages and calls with the child he met in a chatroom before driving to her Highland home and having intercourse with her after the victim's mother left for work.
After police were called in they discovered th
at he had also formed a relationship with a 15-year-old girl in a chatroom and taken her to a bed-and-breakfast for sex.
A judge told Brodie at the High Court in Edinburgh today: "This is a clear case of the callous, cynical and deliberate grooming and exploitation of a child by an adult male for sexual purposes."
Lord Macphail said: "You were 28 at the time and developed a relationship with a child of 13 on the internet, well aware she was only that age."
The judge said a background report made it clear Brodie still had little thought for the consequences for his young victims. He said: "Your behaviour towards the youngest child affected her schooling and her relationship with her mother. You have been concerned mainly with the consequences for yourself."
Lord Macphail told Brodie: "Conduct of this kind merits a significant custodial sentence."
Brodie, 29, of Sighthill Gardens, came across the younger victim in November last year after she accessed the internet on her phone and was connected with a chatroom.
She gave a different user name, but began a discussion with him and swapped telephone numbers.
The child at first thought he was about the same age as her, but as they exchanged messages she became aware of his true age.
He arranged to travel from Edinburgh to Caithness to meet her fully aware that she was only 13 years old.
Brodie parked some distance from the girl's home after he arrived north on November 5 and waited until her mother left.
He went to her home when he knew she was alone and started to kiss her before having intercourse with her.
He spent the night in the child's bed and the next morning the girl left home for school at the same time as her mother.
The child handed in a note at school claiming she had a fake dental appointment and left, then Brodie picked her up in his car. He drove her back home and had unprotected sex with her.
The following day the girl again skipped school by putting in a note and met Brodie who had sex with her.
He returned to Edinburgh but continued to text the child and travelled north again on November 24 and picked her up before going to a car park to have intercourse.
Brodie kept in contact with her but she realised his interest in her was on the wane and revealed to a friend what had happened.
Her friend was concerned and spoke to her own mother who in turn contacted the authorities and the victim's mother.
The police were brought in and as an investigation got under way they came across information pointing towards Brodie being involved in similar behaviour with a 15-year-old girl.
He also met the second victim through a chatroom, although she had indicated she was aged 16.
Brodie drove north to meet the girl on January 6 this year in the Highlands before taking her to Inverness and having sex with her at the B&B. He remained in contact with her by phone afterwards.
Police armed with a search warrant turned up at his home on January 29 and seized mobile phones and other items, including a receipt for the bed and breakfast.
He admitted he had sex with the 13-year-old girl and that he was aware of her age. He also admitted having intercourse with the other youngster, but said he thought she was 16.
Defence solicitor advocate Neil Wilson said Brodie was "at a loss to explain his behaviour towards the end of last year".
He said Brodie maintained he was not actively searching for a girl under the age of consent when he went into the chatroom, but was looking for a sexual relationship.
The court heard that the first victim was left "very mixed up" after the events.
Brodie earlier pled guilty to three charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with the underage girls. He also admitted two offences under protection of children and prevention of sexual offences legislation.
Brodie was originally convicted of the crimes at Wick Sheriff Court where the maximum sentence he could have faced was five years in jail.
But Sheriff Andrew Berry sent the case to the High Court to be dealt with because of its greater sentencing powers.
