A SICK sex offender in his 20s was caged after asking two girls aged 12 if they were virgins on a bus before offering to ply them with drink in a bid to abuse them.

William Donahoe, 22, was held in custody after causing the kids fear and alarm on February 27 this year – having been subject to a Sex Offender order imposed that same month and given a non-custody sentence.

Donahoe, of Southook Row, Girdle Toll, admitted speaking to the two girls before making lewd, indecent, and sexual comments to them as well as ‘sexual sounds’ at Irvine High Street and during the bus journey.

The Procurator Fiscal’s complaint states he also attempted to induce them to engage in sexual intercourse with him and offered the girls alcoholic drink.

Prosecutors told the court that Donahoe asked the girls if ‘they were virgins’ before telling them they should “do it together”.

Sheriff Alistair Watson heard that the girls ‘took this to mean they should have sex’ with Donahoe, before he then asked them both to meet him at Stevenston railway station and stated that he would buy them alcohol.

The Procurator Fiscal added: “He then went on to offer a bottle of Buckfast on his person – this put the witnesses in a state of fear and alarm.”

The bus then stopped at Ayrshire College, Kilwinning and Donahoe went to speak to the driver – when another male then went and sat with the girls.

On his return, the passenger told Donahoe to ‘shut up’ when he tried to speak to the girls again and the male looked out for them during the rest of the journey.

Donahoe then got off at Kilwinning Road, Stevenston before the girls both left at Saltcoats Road, Stevenston.

The court heard a female witness on the bus insisted on walking them home before police were then contacted.

Defence solicitor Gordon Ghee told the court his client had ‘some degree of learning difficulties’, his life was ‘chaotic’, had immediately run into problems’ after previous matters and ‘was just not capable’.

He added: “He needs time to learn ways of the world and not do this kind of thing.”

Telling the repeat offender to ‘stand up’, Sheriff Alistair Watson said: “This is just appalling behaviour – given you were put on the order with all the conditions imposed – then immediately out court you breached it in the worst possible way.

“I’ve only one possible option.”

He jailed Donahoe for a total of 19 months for his sickening offending backdated to the day he was remanded on March 5.

He will also have to register as a sex offender with the police for 10 years.