Probation for 'whore' comment men

The men admitted the offence at Edinburgh Sheriff Court

Three men have been placed on the sex offenders register for sending messages to a 14-year-old girl who posted topless internet pictures of herself.

The girl - who called herself "the Edinburgh Whore" - received responses from all over the country.

Michael Henderson, 32, of Kemnay, Aberdeenshire, Colin Holmes, 25, from Nottingham, and Barron Wright, 20, from Crewe, admitted the sexual comments.

They were given probation at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

The men admitted communicating in a sexual manner over the internet with a girl under 16.

Her own conduct raises all sorts of questions but they are not for me to deal with in this court. This is not an appropriate case for me to give a prison sentence Sheriff Douglas Allan

They had got in touch between March and August 2006, after she posted her profile on a website.

All three denied knowing the girl was underage at the time.

The trio must allow police to examine their computers at any time.

Sheriff Douglas Allan placed Henderson, a baker, and Holmes on probation for three years and Wright for two-and-a-half years.

Sheriff Allan said: "The question of this being made an offence and the fact that there appears to be no defence to it I know is troubling you.

"It maybe seems a little unfair to you but the reality is that this girl was not over 16.

"Her own conduct raises all sorts of questions but they are not for me to deal with in this court. This is not an appropriate case for me to give a prison sentence."