ANDREW STRACHAN FROM DRYMEN SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGE OFFENSES IN SCOTLAND

A resident of Drymen, Andrew Strachan, aged 52, has been formally sentenced after being found guilty of viewing and downloading a significant number of child abuse images. The case revealed that Strachan had accessed various websites with titles such as “Teen & PreTeen Girls JailBait Pictures” and “cute little girls,” over a span of more than four years. These online activities were brought to light during court proceedings, which detailed how his actions contributed directly to the ongoing exploitation and abuse of children.

On May 19, 2020, police officers executed a search warrant at Strachan’s residence. During the search, they uncovered a disturbing collection of digital material. Among the items found were 124 inaccessible and two accessible images classified as category B, which depicted young girls aged between two and 14 in sexualized poses or engaged in non-penetrative sexual acts. Additionally, investigators discovered 113 inaccessible images categorized as C, along with 14 videos showing girls aged 8 to 14 involved in sexualized posing. The full history of his downloads indicated that Strachan had visited these types of websites until at least September 8, 2016.

Throughout the proceedings, Strachan’s defense team acknowledged that he had no prior criminal convictions. They also highlighted that he had taken steps to address his behavior and was assessed as being at low risk of reoffending. Despite this, he admitted to creating or taking indecent images of children at his home between February 2016 and May 2020. The court was told that his actions had serious implications, and the sheriff, Paul Ralph, emphasized that individuals who access such material bear responsibility for fostering abuse.

As part of his sentencing, Strachan was ordered to undergo a two-year supervision order, complete 100 hours of unpaid community service, and register as a sex offender for a period of five years. When leaving the court, he attempted to cover his face amid a chorus of shouts from the public, with some calling him a “beast,” reflecting the community’s outrage and condemnation of his actions.