A convicted rapist out of prison on licence tried to trick an 11-year-old girl into meeting him after speaking to her in an internet chatroom.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that James Gilmour, 50, who had been jailed for raping a teenager, claimed he was a 13-year-old boy called "Jimmy G" when he corresponded with the girl.

The communication between Gilmour and the girl began in December 2001 with innocent messages.

But over the next four months Gilmour sent indecent photographs from his flat in Glasgow to the girl's home and tricked her into giving him her mobile and home phone numbers and her e-mail address.

Bus stop

The child chatted to him from her Edinburgh home on a computer built by her father and given to her as a Christmas present.

When Gilmour rang to arrange to meet her at an Edinburgh bus stop in April this year, the child's mother answered and became alarmed.

Police were alerted and Gilmour was arrested just 24 hours before he was due to meet the girl and her friend.

Gilmour admitted conducting himself in a shamelessly indecent manner towards the girl, e-mailing her indecent remarks and images and trying to meet her.

Previous convictions

Advocate depute Norman Ritchie, prosecuting, said that Gilmour had two previous convictions for sexual offences in 1975 and 1996.

He was jailed for seven years in 1996 for raping a teenage girl and was released on licence from prison in August 2000.

He went to live with his ex-wife and teenage son in her home in the Maryhill area of Glasgow.

Gilmour was returned to jail and ordered to be placed on the sex offenders' register.

He will be sentenced in October.