ANDREW CLARK AND ADAM CLARK FROM RUTHERGLEN SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, police investigations uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images involving children, leading to serious legal consequences for both father and son. The incident dates back to a police raid conducted in March 2019, which targeted the residence of Andrew Clark, aged 66, and his son Adam Clark, aged 34, both residing on Lochlea Road.

During the raid, authorities seized multiple electronic devices from the property, revealing a horrifying cache of over 1,580 images depicting children aged between four and 16. The devices included DVDs, laptops, memory cards, and a pen drive, all containing graphic and illegal content. The police investigation uncovered that Andrew Clark had not only possessed these images but also engaged in creating and distributing them. He had written explicit fiction involving children and used photo editing software to craft disturbing images, some of which were sent via emails containing further indecent material.

Andrew Clark, a widower, admitted to possessing and distributing indecent photographs of children, as well as creating erotic stories involving minors. His actions led to his being placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and resulted in a 14-month prison sentence. The court heard that he had created and stored images across various devices, including DVDs and laptops, with some images being edited or manipulated to appear more explicit. Prosecutor Hannah Sweeney detailed that the images included both still and moving pictures of children, with ages ranging from as young as two to 16 years old. She also highlighted that Andrew had sent emails containing graphic descriptions of sexual acts involving children, revealing a disturbing pattern of behavior.

Meanwhile, Adam Clark, who was also found to possess a significant number of indecent images—over 800 in total—was found to have similar content stored on his devices. He admitted to viewing material he knew he shouldn’t have, stating to officers, “I may have been looking at things I shouldn’t have.” His devices contained both still and moving images of children, created over a period spanning from May 2010 to March 2019. The court heard that the images depicted children as young as two and as old as 16, with some images being edited or manipulated. Adam Clark was sentenced to three years on the sex offenders register and was placed under supervision.

Both individuals appeared before Glasgow Sheriff Court to face charges related to taking or permitting the taking of indecent photographs of children. The court proceedings revealed the extent of their offenses, with police having acted on information linked to an IP address associated with their residence. The investigation uncovered a disturbing pattern of behavior involving the creation, possession, and distribution of child exploitation material. The case has been adjourned for further background reports, with sentencing scheduled for next month. In the meantime, both Andrew and Adam Clark have been granted bail and remain on the sex offenders register, reflecting the severity of their crimes and the ongoing judicial process.