A PERVERT who was snared by one of the victim’s mothers has avoided jail time today.

Colin Farrell, 35, groomed a teenager online and got him to send explicit pictures of himself on web chats.

He also admitted to soliciting and chatting to two other boys aged 14 and 15 on a social media platform called Kik in January 2017.

Read more: Rangers fan group join protest against 'Protestant discrimination' by Glasgow City Council

He had engaged in several sexualised conversations with one boy Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Farrell, using the username ‘MasterD’, first communicated with him on January 26, 2017.

The boy’s mother discovered his iPad was filled with explicit images and immediately contacted police Farrell, of Merchant City, was later tracked down.

Police seized his computer hard drive, iPad and mobile phone.

Read more: Man charged after Glasgow Old Firm brawl

It then emerged he also took part in other sexualised conversations with two other boys aged 14 and 15 on Kik between March 8 and June 4, 2017.

A total of 707 photos and video clips were found at his home.

Prosecutor Kathleen O’Donnell said: “The children shown on these platforms are boys between the ages of 12 and 15."

Read more of today's top Glasgow stories

Farrell was given 300 hours of community service - the maximum non-custodial sentence.

Sheriff Norman Ritchie QC also ordered Farrell to be supervised for a further three years.

He was further put on the sex offenders list.