A YOUNG man is accused of extorting girls as young as 10 to send indecent sexual images of themselves after alleged threats.

Lewis McDougall, 21, appeared in the dock accused of sexual extortion against two girls aged 10 and 12, as well as possessing and distributing indecent images from his home in Kilbirnie.

The accused allegedly induced one girl to send indecent images through threats, allegedly causing her fear, alarm and apprehension of violence towards her sister.

The charge states the girl sent a video of ‘her naked body, dancing and proclaiming love’ for him after threatened violence towards the alleged victim’s sister.

He faces a second charge of making the same girl participate in sexual activity.

It’s alleged he also made indecent pictures or pseudo photographs of children on various occasions, as well as a charge of possessing the images, from March 31, 2018 and October 23, 2020.

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The accused is alleged to have menaced a second girl, who was aged 12, to send indecent images, through threats on various occasions from May 1 and May 30 in 2020.

The Crown’s indictment claims he also caused the girl to look at sexual images that he allegedly sent her of male genitalia.

He also faces a seventh charge of disclosing indecent footage of the first alleged victim to the second young complainer without her consent, causing or recklessly causing alarm.

It’s alleged he also distributed indecent images from his address in Sersley Drive, Kilbirnie, and a school in Renfrewshire on October 20, 2020.

The accused, represented by defence solicitor Peter Murray, pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on January 10.

Bail was granted and he will return to court at a later date.