A sex offender has been recalled to custody after admitting that he failed to tell police about an online username and a new bank card while subject to notification requirements.
Charles Lee, also known as Edward Taylor, appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to two charges covering the period from April 20 to May 1 this year. The breaches related to an eBay username and a Halifax bank account which he had not registered with police.
The 43-year-old was already subject to sex-offender notification requirements following an earlier conviction involving sexual messages and indecent images sent to a person he believed was a child.
Hidden phone found during home visit
Ayr Sheriff Court heard that police and other officials visited Lee’s home address at 9.45am on May 1. When asked whether he had any other devices, he admitted having a second mobile phone hidden under his couch.
The phone was seized and checked. The checks identified the unregistered Halifax account and eBay username. Lee was arrested, cautioned and charged before being taken to Saltcoats police office.
The Crown prosecutor told the court:
“He was convicted of a sexual offence, added to the sex offenders register and subject to complying with notification requirements and licence conditions with social workers.
“At 9.45am on May 1 they attended his home address. During the visit they asked if he had any other devices.
“He admitted having another mobile phone hidden under his couch. It was seized, checked and it was noted he had a Halifax bank account and username for an eBay account he had failed to register.
Lee had previously told the court that “not having access to a mobile phone would minimise his risk of reoffending” when he appeared from custody last year.
Earlier conviction involved online contact with child profile
The latest breach proceedings followed an earlier case in which Lee admitted sending messages to someone he believed was a child under 13 between May 10 and May 18, 2025.
The court heard he caused the person to look at a sexual image, sent a picture of his genitals, and attempted to communicate sexually with a young child and cause a young child to look at a sexual image.
The online profile had been created by a charity worker connected to Justice Reborn, an online civilian decoy group. The group later contacted Forbidden Scotland, which the report describes as a self-described “paedophile hunting group”. Police were given screenshots of the messages before Lee was arrested.
According to the prosecutor, Lee said he was a 42-year-old man while the profile presented as a 12-year-old girl from Southampton. The conversation continued, and he asked whether the profile wanted to see an image of him naked before sending images of his body and genitals.
He also asked about relationships, suggested meeting, and discussed sex and consent. The prosecutor said Lee acknowledged he should not have been speaking in that way and admitted being attracted to young girls. He told the profile “age is just a number” provided there was consent and said to “make sure your parents don’t find out”.
Sentence deferred after recall to custody
Lee was previously jailed for 18 months, reduced from 22 months because of his early guilty plea. He was told he would be released on licence for an extended 18-month period and warned that the licence could be revoked if he failed to comply.
He was also placed on the sex-offenders register and made subject to police notification requirements for 10 years.
In the current case, Sheriff Siobhan Connelly deferred sentence so criminal justice social work reports could be prepared. When Lee returned to court on Monday, August 24, his defence solicitor John Gallagher said the reports were ready but that Lee had been recalled to custody.
Mr Gallagher asked the sheriff to defer sentencing again. He told the court that the information had effectively been volunteered by Lee and that there were no other matters outstanding.
The supplied report does not state when Lee will next appear or when sentence will be passed.
