A MAN who threatened to drag a schoolgirl into bushes and slit her throat has been sentenced to an extended 40-month prison sentence.

Kieran McVie, also known as Findlay, made the threats to the terrified teenager as she made her way to school in Musselburgh earlier this year.

McVie, 27, also shouted sexual comments regarding the size of his penis to a second schoolgirl and told her he worked at a local sexual health clinic.

The “heavily intoxicated” man then scared a nine-year-old child the following day when she ran off after believing he was about to expose himself to her.

McVie pleaded guilty to two offences when he previously appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and he was back in the dock for sentencing on Friday.

Lawyer Angela Craig said that her client had “consumed vast quantities of alcohol and cannabis and has little recollection of what he did”.

Ms Craig added “he is ashamed of what he did” and the offences were “very much a one-off”.

Sheriff Chris Dickson said that the early-morning incidents must have been “extremely alarming” for the two schoolgirls.

The sheriff said: “Later that day, you approached a nine-year-old girl and threatened to pull your shirts down when she made eye contact with you and she ran off.”

McVie was jailed for 16 months and was told he would be placed on licence for two years when he is released.

The sheriff also placed McVie, originally from Tranent, on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

His name will also be sent to Scottish Ministers to be included on the list of those banned from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Previously, the court was told that the two schoolgirls were walking through Lewisvale Park in Musselburgh at about 9am on June 17.

McVie approached them and told the pair he worked at a local sexual health clinic and they should visit the premises to learn sex positions.

Fiscal depute Gavin Whyte said that he threatened the 17-year-old by stating he would “drag her into the bushes” and claimed he had a knife and would “slit her throat”.

McVie also asked the 14-year-old girl “are you up for it?” and made references to his genitalia.

The court heard that McVie then confronted the nine-year-old girl at about 4pm the following day, forcing her to run away as she believed he was about to pull his shorts down.

McVie was arrested at about 10pm that evening following several calls of concern to the police about his behaviour.

McVie pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by acting in an aggressive manner towards three children, repeatedly making remarks of a sexual nature to them and placing them in a state of fear and alarm at Lewisvale Park, Musselburgh, on June 17.

He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards a nine-year-old child by staring at her, standing in front of her, threatening to remove his lower clothing and placing her in a state of fear and alarm in Musselburgh on June 18.