Bomb squads descended onto Largs harbour this afternoon after an item was found on a boat.
23.08.2022 - 15:07 / dailyrecord.co.uk
A sex plot blackmailer who was caught when he left his DNA on a handwritten ransom note has dodged a prison sentence.
Father-of-two Kevin Proctor was allowed to walk free from court after a sheriff heard his wife could lose her nursery supervisor job and university place if he was locked up.
Sheriff Robert More said: "You pled guilty to two charges of very significant gravity. They were component parts of a single course of criminal behaviour.
"They were planned meticulously and carried out in a most sinister manner with the creation of a false social media profile and deliberate targeting of unsuspecting individuals at random.
"The individuals were entirely innocent and did nothing wrong. They must have been placed in a state of extreme trepidation, given the stigma attached.
"You have significant commitments towards your children. Your partner is in work and studying for a degree and there is understandable concern both would be lost.
"Your partner and children are entirely innocent in this sorry saga. The interests of the public can be served by an alternative to custody in your case."
He ordered Proctor to carry out 120 hours unpaid work in the community and placed him on a curfew from 9pm to 6am for a six month period.
Victims were lured into Proctor's callous scheme after being randomly sent photographs of a young woman who claimed she needed help.
When the victims were duped into exchanging explicit photographs with "Stephanie Dunn" they were then hit with a ransom demand from a mystery man.
Proctor - posing as "Barry" - left his victims terrified and one paid out a four-figure sum to buy his silence rather than report the matter to the police.
The unemployed 41-year-old admitted extorting £1,200 from one victim by
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