A CHILDREN’S rugby coach has avoided jail after being convicted of sending lewd pictures to a child.

Kallum McCrae admitted to sending filthy pictures and a video to a 14-year-old child at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week.

McCrae, of Broomlands Place in Irvine, was a coach at Irvine Rugby Club and met his victim through the same club.

The court heard that McCrae had sent messages through Snapchat to the schoolgirl last year and after a number of weeks, his messages became sexual.

The 19-year-old was caught out when the child’s father, who routinely checked her phone, found the indecent images on the device and contacted police.

McCrae was arrested and admitted to sending the pictures on October 28 last year.

He was charged with intentionally causing the 14-year-old to look at a sexual image in that he did send indecent images and a video to her.

The Times has been told McCrae still plays with Irvine Rugby Club but no longer coaches children.

A member of the club, who asked not to be named said: “As soon as the club found out about the charges against him he was immediately taken away from coaching.

“He is still a player with the club. At the end of the day he has done a very stupid thing and he has been dealt with by the court and will take his punishment.”

The teenager pled guilty at a hearing in December and was sentenced to a Community Payback Order of 100 hours unpaid work and two year supervision at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week.