A HELENSBURGH teenager copied explicit pictures of his girlfriend after going snooping on her phone – then accused her of being unfaithful after they broke up.

A court heard how the 17-year-old took pictures of photos he found on his then partner’s phone over a period of several weeks.

It was only after the pair broke up that the teen’s ex discovered what he had done.

The teenager, who can’t be named for legal reasons, sent five images and one video to his now-ex on Snapchat, accusing her of sending the pictures to other boys.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard that the victim went to police after realising she had never sent him the images and hadn’t given him permission to have them.

The court was told that during an interview by police the teen admitted his crime, saying he “wanted evidence of her cheating on him”.

Fiscal depute Decla O'Connor told the court that around 3am on June 23, police saw the teenager on West King Street, but he tried to run away from them – only to be caught after a short foot chase.

Then, on July 2 at around 9.30pm, he was spotted punching and kicking a car in West Princes Street.

Ms O’Connor said that police went to the teenager’s home address, where he repeatedly opened and closed the door “in an attempt to coax police into an argument”.

And while in a police van after being arrested, he said: "I was illegally arrested by a P*** b****rd'.”

He appeared from custody at court on August 22 after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by accessing his former partner's phone and using his own mobile phone to take photographs of intimate images and a video of her engaging in sexual acts.

He also admitted sending the content to her via social media in the same charge.

He pleaded guilty to two further charges – one of wilfully or recklessly damaging property by repeatedly punching and kicking a car, and one of threatening or abusive behaviour by shouting, swearing and uttering racial remarks towards police.

Sentence had been deferred until last Tuesday’s hearing for background reports.

Defence solicitor Judith Reid said: "There is an extremely worrying and sad report in terms of his childhood.

“He is somebody who is extremely vulnerable. He has had a taste of remand, and is anxious not to go back to Polmont [young offenders institution].

“It is fair to say he understands the changes he needs to make and that there is assistance for him.

"It is going to show if he is going to sink or swim."

Sheriff Clair McLachlan said: "It is a troubling case all round for both you and your former partner. It must have been quite a traumatic experience for her.

“I take on board your background and your difficulties. I do think you would benefit from some support."

The sheriff placed him on a structured deferred for three months for his earliest offence, while his other two matters were deferred until a later date.

A non-harassment order was imposed to prevent him from contacting his ex-partner.