A TRANENT man who sent a sexually explicit text message to a relative of his long-term partner has been placed on the sex offenders' register.

Lee MacDonald had been living with his partner for about 10 years when he drunkenly sent “a lengthy message” by phone to the relative which was said to contain sexual references.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that MacDonald’s partner was downstairs in the same property when he sent the text to the younger woman at about 9pm on September 19, 2022.

The victim was said to have become “hysterical” at receiving the explicit message and had contacted family members to alert them.

MacDonald’s partner was also informed as to what he had done and she angrily confronted him before the police were contacted.

MacDonald, of Ormiston Crescent West, was not traced until November 26, where he was arrested and later cautioned and charged.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to sending an SMS message to an adult woman that contained sexual remarks between September 19 and 20, 2022, when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday.

MacDonald also admitted to charges of stealing quantities of alcohol and butter from Asda on the town’s High Street on August 19 and September 17 and 20 last year, and to bail breach offences.

'Ashamed and embarrassed'

Solicitor Matthew Nicholson, representing MacDonald, said that his client had been a long-term drug user but, after spending time in custody due to these matters, he was now “drug free”.

Mr Nicholson said that MacDonald was now “deeply ashamed and embarrassed” by his “appalling behaviour” towards the victim of the text message and that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time.

The lawyer told the court: “It appears to be a one-off, but serious, incident.”

Sheriff Matthew Auchincloss said: “This is a catalogue of offences you have pled guilty to but the sexual offence is by far the most serious offence.

“Certainly the custody threshold has been crossed and the offence is significantly aggravated by the fact that the victim was your partner’s [relative].

“But in my view, and only just by the skin of your teeth, given this is quite an old offence now, there is an alternative to custody.”

MacDonald was placed on the sex offenders' register for five years and was also handed a non-harassment order banning him from having any contact with the victim for 10 years.

He was also told he must carry out 180 hours of unpaid work as a punishment for his offending.

Sheriff Auchincloss also imposed a total fine of £652: £200 to cover the shoplifting offences and a further £452 to mark the four breach-of-bail-conditions charges.