Countryside Couple Caught with Child Abuse Images But Avoid Jail

COUNTRYSIDE COUPLE CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES BUT AVOID JAIL

A couple, Ahmad Al Mahamid and Saosan Ghozlan, who were found in possession of indecent images of children on their mobile phones, have been spared jail after a sheriff accepted their explanations.

Their phones were seized during a raid on their Alness home following intelligence that suggested someone at the address might have been sharing indecent images online.

A cybercrime examination revealed multiple indecent images on each device, including category A videos, which depict the most severe forms of abuse.

Further inquiries confirmed no evidence of searches for indecent material or distribution of the images.

Sheriff Gary Aitken remarked, "The level of suffering that these children must have endured in these images cannot be imagined," but also stated, "I accept the explanation you gave to social workers." Both individuals, aged 50 and 43, had previously entered guilty pleas to possessing these images on December 16, 2021.

The court heard that they are refugees who arrived in 2016 and had been forced to relocate due to their conviction.

They are planning a permanent move to Glasgow.

Police had received intelligence about sharing of indecent images at their address, leading to a raid at their Milnafua residence.

The investigation uncovered videos and images of child abuse on their phones, with Ghozlan claiming the material was sent to her and stating, “Anything like that we delete.

My husband sent me it and said: ‘Look what they sent me’.” The social work background report highlighted the unimaginable suffering endured by the children depicted in the images.

The sheriff imposed community payback orders with nine months’ supervision and restrictions on internet use, and stipulated that both remain on the sex offenders register for the same period.