A Dunfermline sex offender thought his taxi driver was “cute” and began bombarding him with messages.

Gary Paterson said he wanted to lick his trainers which later progressed to eating them.

The perv has been committing similar offences since 2011 when he targeted young boys aged just seven.

Paterson, 50, of Adamson Crescent, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing.

He had originally been put on a structured deferred sentence but failed to engage with it.

He admitted that between 9th and 11th October he sent messages to the man in which he made indecent remarks and refused to desist when told to do so.

The court was told that Paterson had targeted the cabbie after being driven home by him.

He had taken one of the taxi firm’s cards and started sending messages about the driver initially calling him “cute”.

The driver did not know Paterson other than from the taxi journey.

Paterson sent a text message saying, “Can you thank the young guy who drove me to Adamson Crescent.”

This was followed up by, “He was cute”.

The messages then went on to say Paterson wanted to “lick his trainers”.

The taxi firm boss who was seeing the messages come through on the company phone, replied, “Enough or this goes to the police”.

However, Paterson sent another message this time saying he wanted to eat the young driver’s trainers.

Defence solicitor Stephen Morrison conceded his client had not engaged with a structured deferred sentence.

“I’ve told him he may well have reached the end of the road,” he added.

Paterson is on a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) until 2027 and on the sex offenders register until 2029.

Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane jailed Paterson for six months.

He committed similar offences in 2011 when he repeatedly asked young boys if he could lick their trainers.

He targeted seven boys, all aged between seven and 12, in Glenrothes.

He avoided jail at that time and was put on a 30-month community payback order with therapy sessions.

Sheriff Grant McCulloch commented at the sentencing in January 2012: "I think it's important that he gets the help and support needed."

In 2019, Paterson was back in court for breaching the terms of his SOPO.

He ignored a ban on him being drunk in public and walked into a park where teenagers had gathered.