In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that Andy Urquhart, then 31, of Inverness, Highlands, was spared a prison sentence after being snared by an undercover police operation. On appearing at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing, Urquhart was dealt with for attempting to communicate indecently with a child and attempting to cause a child to view a sexual image. The court reported that the defendant believed he was messaging a 13-year-old girl named “Sofia,” but was actually communicating with a police officer.
The investigation established that Urquhart sent numerous messages describing sexual acts and expressing a desire to have sexual intercourse with the “girl.” Police Scotland reported that the defendant also claimed to be performing a solo sex act and requested naked images from the decoy. The prosecution reported that Urquhart sent both a video and a photograph showing male genitalia to the undercover officer during the exchange.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the communications were highly sexualized and predatory in nature. Inverness Sheriff Court heard that the defendant’s actions were intercepted as part of a targeted police operation to identify individuals attempting to groom minors online. The prosecution reported that Urquhart’s admissions included the intent to pursue a physical sexual encounter with the individual he believed to be a young teenager.
Sheriff Gary Aitken noted that while the offences were serious, a community-based disposal was appropriate in this instance. For his actions in Inverness, Highlands, Urquhart was placed on a community payback order for three years. The judge noted that this order includes mandatory participation in the “Moving Forward to Change” programme, which is designed to address the behaviour of individuals convicted of sexual offences.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in Scotland, Andy Urquhart was handed:
- Community Payback Order: Three years of supervision and mandatory programme participation.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated for five years.
- SHPO: A five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Inverness Sheriff Court following a police decoy operation.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Urquhart is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Police Scotland and the Social Work department. Due to the “predatory” nature of the online grooming in Inverness, Highlands, his management is subject to oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Urquhart must comply with notification requirements regarding his residence in Inverness for the next five years. Authorities state that his SHPO includes strict restrictions on his internet access and his contact with children. Any breach of his registration conditions, his community payback order, or his SHPO will result in immediate arrest and a return to Inverness Sheriff Court.
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