A MUSSELBURGH man who secretly watched a young teenager while she was out in public has been placed on the sex offenders’ register, after he was also caught with indecent pictures of children.

Jason Hain, of Eskside West, was said to have engaged in a course of conduct that caused the 13-year-old schoolgirl fear and alarm, after he repeatedly emailed her despite being asked not to.

Hain, 46, also left clothing out under a bridge in the town for the girl to collect and covertly watched her as she did so.

Hain was also caught with indecent images of children when police raided his home last year.

He had previously admitted two amended charges when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in July and sentence had been deferred for reports.

Further charges, including sending the girl sexualised texts and a card containing a sexual message, were dropped by the Crown.

Sheriff Michael O’Grady placed Hain on a three-year offender supervision order, while the sheriff also informed Hain he would be placed on the sex offenders’ register for the same period of time.

Hain admitted to causing the girl fear and alarm by repeatedly emailing her, watching her covertly and leaving clothing out under a bridge for her to collect at his home address and elsewhere in the town between June 9 and 16 last year.

He also pleaded guilty to permitting indecent images of children to be taken at his home address between December 29, 2010, and July 25 last year.