A FORMER county football coach has been placed on the sex offenders’ register after he admitted sending sexual images to a child.

Matthew Benison sent the youngster pictures of his genitals and videos of him performing a solo sex act from his home at Stories Park, East Linton in 2017.

The 34-year-old also asked the child to send him naked images of her.

Benison, who used to coach youngsters at Haddington Athletic FC, also asked the young girl to meet up with him on various occasions to engage in sexual activity.

Benison pleaded guilty to four offences when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in January and he returned to court for sentencing on Monday.

Sheriff Frank Crowe decided to place Benison on the sex offenders’ register for 12 months and also placed him on a supervision order for the same term.

Benison was also ordered to carry out 65 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Benison pleaded guilty to sending images and videos to a child of him performing a solo sex act, and to asking for naked images of the child in return and asking to meet up with her for sexual activity, all at his home address between September 1 and December 1, 2017.

Benison also admitted sending images and videos of his genitals and asking a child to send him naked images and asking to meet up for sex at his home address between December 2, 2017, and June 25 last year.