A teenager tried to persuade two young girls to join a 'sex business' he claimed to have set up.

Calum Sawyers, from Penicuik in Midlothian, repeatedly sent indecent messages and images to a 14-year old girl and 15-year-old girl, both of whom lived in England.

The offences occurred between December 1, 2015, when he was 17, and March 8, 2016.

He also admitted being in possession of indecent images of children and on Wednesday was placed under supervision on a Community Payback Order for three years.

Sheriff Frank Crowe heard that two separate investigations had taken place into Sawyers, now 19, at the same time.

Police in England were looking into the messages sent to the girls, while officers in Scotland were investigating intelligence about Sawyers having indecent images in his home.

In early February 2015, the 14-year old girl told friends she had been receiving messages from Sawyers asking her to carry out sexual acts for money as part of a business he had set up.

This had been relayed to a teacher, who contacted the police.

The second girl was contacted in February 2016 when she was asked to send Sawyers sexual images of herself.

During sentencing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, he was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.