A former Scots wrestler who arranged to meet a girl he believed was 14-years-old after chatting with her sexually was jailed today for 18 months.
Steven Cavanagh, 39, was instead talking to an undercover police officer posing as a decoy at his then home in Glasgow’s Cardonald in July 2023. Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how the pair first interacted on social media application Chat Avenue.
The decoy told Cavanagh – who went by the ring names Alex Cavanagh and Cav – that she was 14-years-old and she asked if it was “cool”. The ex-Insane Championship Wrestling and Scottish Wrestling Alliance fighter Cavanagh replied: “Yeah.”
Cavanagh went on to ask the decoy if she had “done things with lads” and progressed the conversation sexually. Cavanagh asked the decoy if she would come for a “ride in my car” but he was rebuffed.
The conversation moved onto email with Cavanagh calling himself ‘hornysteveUK’. Prosecutor Ross Canning said: “Cavanagh brought it to sexual matters and asked what things she liked to do with boys.”
Cavanagh attempted to meet with the decoy on July 12 2023 but was told that she was not able to make it. A further meeting was arranged for July 26 where Cavanagh was instead stopped by police at Partick train station and was arrested.
He said: “I made a bad mistake, I am bang to rights, I did it, like I said it’s black and white.”
Cavanagh pled guilty to attempting to communicate indecently and arranging to meet with a child. Cavanagh was put on the sex offenders register for 10 years at today’s sentencing.