AN IRVINE man has denied allegations he sent indecent texts and images to a girl, who he believed to be 14-years-old, that he then tried to meet.

Brian Cox, 53, pleaded not guilty to three separate charges when appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Tuesday, January 10.

The court indictment states that the '14-year-old girl' that Cox had allegedly been exchanging messages with was in fact a 'decoy' - an adult pretending to be a child.

The Irvine man faces allegations that, on various occasions between January 10 and January 21, 2021, both dates inclusive, he attempted to cause a person he believed to be a child to look at a sexual image that he had sent to her.

While between the same dates, from his address in Irvine, it is also alleged that Cox intentionally and for purpose of obtaining sexual gratification or of humiliating, distressing or alarming a person he believed to be a child, sent sexually explicit messages via Instagram and WhatsApp - thereby attempting to communicate indecently with a child.

And a final charge claims that, also during this time, while he did not believe he was contacting a person over the age of 16, that Cox attempted to meet the 'girl' with intention of engaging in unlawful sexual activity involving the person or in their presence.

When he appeared in court this week, defence solicitor Graeme Cunninghame said: “He pleads not guilty to the charges on the indictment. Insofar as the written record he is aware of the terms of the action.

“In communications with the Crown I continue to express no objections to all admissible evidence and defence statements have been lodged.

“The vast majority of the evidence can be agreed on the accused’s conduct on the libel, but the belief about who he was communicating with – that’s for a jury to decide.”

The Procurator Fiscal depute told the court the Crown was ready for trial with two witnesses, one civilian and one police officer.

Mr Cunninghame added he ‘may have one or two questions for the decoy', with both the defence and Crown expecting a trial to take two days at most.

Cox is due to return to court later in the year - and has been released on bail until this time.