A SEX offender stung sending indecent messages to what he believed to be girls was fined for failing to keep in contact with police before Christmas.

Philip Penders, 60, was caught making lewd comments to what he believed were two 14-year-old girls, promising to top-up their mobile phones in exchange for topless photos.

However we was speaking to two members of Child Protectors Scotland (CPS), who then ambushed him at his home in Kilwinning’s Muirside Court.

Penders, now of Young Street, Ardrossan, admitted failing to update police on his personal details within three days between December 18 and December 21 last year.

He was fined £210 when his case was back before Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week [Tuesday, January 12].

We reported in 2018 how Penders contacted his first target – a ‘14-year-old girl’ called ‘Sam’ – on December 12 of 2017.

Messages were exchanged, with Penders urging Sam to send topless pictures of herself for mobile phone credit.

When this was refused, Penders became angry and sent her graphic images of female parts with vile messages.

Penders struck again when a member of CPS created similar online profile of a teen called ‘Amy’.

Believing the girl to be only 14, Penders also requested topless pictures of her in exchange for phone credit.

The pair behind the Sam and Amy profiles later confronted Penders at his home on December 29 2017 – while live-streaming the encounter on Facebook before Penders was arrested.

Penders was placed on a Community Payback Order with supervision for three years and placed on the Sex Offenders register.

As part of the order, he must attend a programme for sex offenders and will have to abide with several conditions relating to his internet use –with Penders prohibited from deleting his online history and he must provide police with any passwords.