A CLYDEBANK man has been banned from being around children under 16 after he admitted indecent behaviour towards two 15-year-old girls.

Daniel Mailey sent messages of a sexual nature to one of the girls on December 9 and 10, 2017 – and did the same to the second between June 1 and July 1 last year.

But the 24-year-old was spared a prison term when he appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week.

Mailey, of Russell Road in Duntocher, had previously admitted sending indecent messages to the two 15-year-olds.

He also admitted travelling to Cleddans Road on July 1, 2020 with the intention of meeting the second 15-year-old and engaging in unlawful sexual activity.

A fourth charge to which Mailey pleaded guilty stated that he did “culpably and recklessly and with wicked disregard for the consequences” cause the girl to fall into his motor vehicle, drive it at speed with the girl unsecured and in the footwell, refuse to stop when asked to do so, and put her at risk of injury.

Sentence on Mailey had been deferred for background reports.

Defence solicitor Phil Lafferty told a hearing on June 9 that Mailey accepted his guilt, and said it was clear in his client’s exchanges with the girl that she was 15.

“He was well aware of the position and doesn’t retreat from that,” Mr Lafferty said.

He has had some insight into the impact of his behaviour on the victims.

“I accept, and Mr Mailey accepts, that the custody threshold has been met.”

Mr Lafferty said that his client’s behaviour was “worrying”, it was repeated and escalated, and said “there must be concern for public protection in the future”.

But he argued that there were alternatives to custody available.

The Crown applied for a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) “because the conduct originated on Snapchat” and the conditions Mailey would have to meet to comply with the order would be appropriate for the offences.

Granting the SOPO application, Sheriff William Gallacher told Mailey: “I remain concerned about your behaviour.”

Sheriff Gallacher imposed a community payback order with supervision by social workers for three years.

Mailey will also have to do 225 hours of unpaid work in the community within 12 months, a total reduced from the maximum of 300 hours because of his guilty plea.

The SOPO, which also bars Mailey from having any contact or attempted contact with any child under the age of 16, was put in place until June 2026.

Mailey will be on the sex offenders register for the same five-year period.