Former Dounreay IT boss spared jail over sex messages to girls

The former head of IT at Dounreay has been spared jail for sending sexual online messages to girls he believed were as young as 12.

Martin Bridge was exposed after being caught in a sting operation mounted by police.

He previously pleaded guilty at Wick Sheriff Court to four charges of sending illicit sexual messages and indecent videos between December 1, 2022 and January 11, 2023. Sentence had been deferred until Tuesday for reports.

The 45-year-old used his Snapchat account to contact who he thought was a 12-year-old called 'C' and a 14-year-old called Maisie. But he was, in fact, communicating with undercover police officers posing as young girls.They were on his case having responded, initially, to an indecent message he sent.

In one series of messages, over several days, Bridge described sex acts and encouraged a 13-year-old to provide him with nude images of herself and engage in sexual activity.

Bridge also repeatedly sent videos of a male engaged in a sex act.

In a text to the apparent 12-year-old, he said: “I’m experienced... I know how to please a girl.”

He also stated: “Just wondered if you wanted to be naughty with me” and “I kinda wanna do more than just chat, like naughty stuff.”

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Another message read: “I’m thinking about you in a swimming costume, it depends if you’re gonna show me more.” During this exchange, he indicated that he had a hot tub at his home.

When police went to search his then-home at Burnside, Scrabster, he was at work and the officers were let in by Bridge's wife.

Officers from the Dounreay-based Civil Nuclear Constabulary arrested him on the site before handing him over to their civil counterparts.

The court heard Bridge then refused police requests to provide the PINs and passwords for electronic devices seized at his home.

Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said Bridge had difficulties with his use of pornography and is now paying the consequences for his actions.

"He has no self-pity for that and the report recognises that he has a level of victim empathy," she said.

Bridge has taken part in the 'Stop it Now' programme run by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a UK child protection charity.

Ms MacDonald said: "He successfully completed that programme in August 2023 and he has developed strategies together with being educated in how he needs to move forward with his life.”

Given his early plea and the steps he has taken to prevent the risk of him re-offending, Ms MacDonald asked Sheriff Neil Wilson to consider a community sentence.

She added: "He is fully aware that it would not be the easy option as an alternative to prison and that any breach would result in custody."

Sheriff Wilson acknowledged Bridge's early plea but noted that he had to be forced to give police access to his electronic devices.

Describing the Crown narrative as “harrowing and worrying”, the sheriff said it was an extremely serious matter.

He said his conduct had only been brought to a halt by the deployment of the police decoys.

Sheriff Wilson said: "This case has brought to an end your marriage and your career and it's all of your own making.

"But your remorse is genuine and you have a clear understanding of what you have done."

Given his lack of record, his commitment to rehabilitate and his acceptance of his guilt, the sheriff said that “by the narrowest of margins”, he would not jail Bridge.

The community order, for three years, includes 300 hours of unpaid work in the community and the requirement to take part in a sex offenders' rehabilitation course. He also has to allow police to monitor his online activity.

The sheriff said: "This is imposed as a direct alternative to custody."

Bridge is also to be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for three years.

The court heard Bridge is out of work and currently living at Pittodrie Street, Aberdeen.