IRVINE MAN ALLAN ANDREW CAUGHT WITH CHILD INDECENT IMAGES IN SHOCKING POLICE INVESTIGATION

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Irvine, Allan Andrew, a 53-year-old man, has admitted to downloading and possessing a significant collection of indecent images depicting children. The revelations emerged during a court hearing at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week, where details of the investigation and Andrew's actions were laid bare.

According to court reports, Andrew resided with his wife and two sons at the time of the offences, which spanned from May 2008 to June 2017. The police initially detained both Andrew and his wife as part of their investigation. However, it was made clear that his wife was not implicated in any of the criminal activities. The authorities seized an HP laptop from the household, which was linked directly to Andrew.

During police interviews, Andrew admitted ownership of the laptop and confessed to downloading the illicit images. He stated that he had been engaged in this activity for approximately six to eight years, with around 20 separate occasions of downloading such material. Despite his admissions, Andrew claimed that he did not derive any sexual gratification from viewing the images, asserting that he began downloading them after accidentally stumbling upon similar content online.

The images and videos found on Andrew’s device were deeply disturbing. Prosecutor Jo Cunningham detailed that the material included photographs of girls as young as ten years old, removing their clothes. She further explained that Andrew expressed a particular interest in teenage lesbian content, claiming he had downloaded approximately two thousand images of such material. The court was informed that Andrew possessed at least 20 images classified as Category A, which is considered the most severe level of child exploitation material. Among these was a video depicting a sexual act involving a male and a baby girl believed to be between one and two years old.

In addition to the Category A images, Andrew was found to have 42 images classified as Category B and a staggering 11,123 images categorized as Category C. These categories reflect the severity and nature of the content, with Category C being less severe but still illegal and deeply troubling.

Judge Iona MacDonald presided over the case and decided to defer sentencing until next month to allow for the preparation of a social work report. Andrew was also placed on the sex offenders’ register, with the duration of his registration to be determined at the upcoming sentencing hearing. The case has raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of children and highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat such heinous crimes in the Irvine area.