A SEX offender sent threatening emails to a teenager and a letter to her family - after previously being caught having illegal intercourse with the girl when she was aged 14.

Freddie Pritchard pleaded guilty to causing fear and alarm to the same girl, then aged 15-17, between May 25, 2021 and January 25 this year.

He admitted continuing contact with her by repeatedly sending her emails of a threatening or abusive manner.

The charge states he also sent a letter addressed to the girl and her family, with the offence aggravated because it involved abuse of a partner or former partner.

At the time Pritchard was the subject of four bail orders granted on separate occasions at Ayr Sheriff Court.

Pritchard, 27, had been ordered not to delete his search history from any device as part of a punishment for engaging in sexual activity with the girl in Ayrshire on various occasions between June 4 and July 16, 2020.

But Pritchard, of River View, Stair, later admitted restoring the factory settings on his mobile phone and deleting all of his internet history on May 12, 2021.

Pritchard had admitted kissing the girl, removing her clothing and having sex with her while she was too young to consent.

He later contacted the same girl by email on various occasions on July 26, 2020 – having been made the subject of a bail order nine days earlier.

When Pritchard returned to court last week, defence solicitor John Gallagher said: “I understand full reports may be called for including a psychiatric assessment.

“Custody was very difficult. His parents are accompanying him today, they are still dealing with the fall out at home.”

Deferring sentence for reports, Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart said: “You need to cooperate. It will be to your benefit you don’t want to be back where you have been.”

Sentence was deferred until a later date; Pritchard was ordained to appear.