A man who asked a woman in an Ayr street if she wanted to watch him commit a sex act has been put on the Sex Offenders Register.

Blair Dunlop directed a sexual communication at two women with the intention of obtaining sexual gratification or of humiliating, distressing or alarming them.

The 29-year-old appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously pled guilty to two charges under the Sexual Offences Act. His plea of not guilty to three other charges were accepted.

Dunlop, of Ayr’s Ellisland Place, asked a woman in the Crookston area of Glasgow on August 14, 2017, if she knew where he could find a prostitute. He also invited her to join him in his van and offered her money for sex.

Dunlop struck again on March 19 of this year at Elba Street in Ayr. He asked a woman to watch him masturbate or if she knew of anyone who would like to watch him engage in the act.

Solicitor Tony Currie said that his client was having personal problems at the time of the offences and that those closest to him, as well as his employer, were keen to support him. Mr Currie also said that Dunlop would benefit from a community-based programme to address his issues.

The solicitor added: “He accepts that his conduct in these crimes would have been shocking, would have been concerning and unnerving to the people involved.

“A reference in the [social work] report to “a callous disregard” I would say goes too far. Indeed, one of the two complainers described the incident in the police statement that it wasn’t something that left her scared, but she knew it was something that is wrong to ask a random what he was wanting.

“I think the main factor is the deterioration of a relationship. He was coping with a few issues and the pressure was building up. Certainly, in his mind this was some form of release.”

Sheriff McTaggart said: “I think that despite what’s been said there is a significant risk and that’s worrying given a previous conviction.

“I want to protect the public and I want you to get the help you need and the way I can do that is to place you on a Community Payback Order.

“There will be a review of that because I want to know that you are complying with that and that you are accepting that there is a problem here.”

Dunlop was given a Community Payback Order with supervision for two years and ordered to attend a programme for sex offenders. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for two years.