PERTHSHIRE JOINER CHRISTOPHER BLAIR CAUGHT WITH OBSCENE CHILD IMAGES IN ERROL

A man from Perthshire, identified as Christopher Blair, was apprehended after authorities uncovered a disturbing collection of child abuse images stored on his electronic devices. The incident took place in the village of Errol, where police executed a search warrant at Blair’s residence following an anonymous tip-off that raised serious concerns about illegal activity.

Law enforcement officials arrived at Blair’s home early in the morning, just before 9am on November 24, 2021. The police were acting on confidential information indicating that indecent images of children were being downloaded onto a device at his address in Norlands. When officers knocked on the door, Blair’s partner answered, and it was confirmed that Blair was away at work at the time.

Subsequently, detectives visited Blair’s workplace and instructed him to return home. Upon his arrival, Blair handed over his iPhone to the officers, acknowledging that there were images and videos stored on his device. A search of the premises also led to the recovery of an iPad from the kitchen area. A cybercrime officer examined both devices, which were synchronized, revealing a disturbing collection of illicit material.

The initial analysis of Blair’s iPhone uncovered approximately seven videos depicting child sexual exploitation. Further investigation revealed a total of 72 files on the device, comprising 16 videos and 56 still images, all related to child abuse. Prosecutors highlighted that 44 of these files were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of obscenity. The images and videos depicted children estimated to be between two and 14 years old engaged in sexual activities with adults or posing in sexualized manners. The videos alone had a combined duration of over two hours, specifically 2 hours and 12 minutes.

Authorities noted that most of the material appeared to have been created in 2021, with some files dating back to January 2017 and August 2019. The presence of older files suggested they had been transferred from previous devices via iTunes or iCloud backups, as the device model used was released in 2020. Additionally, several videos were found within the Snapchat album, indicating that this platform was likely used to acquire or share the illicit content.

Further examination of Blair’s iPad uncovered 23 unique images, of which 10 were classified as Category A. The police investigation revealed a deeply disturbing pattern of child exploitation material stored across multiple devices. Blair, aged 31, appeared before Perth Sheriff Court, where he admitted to possessing and taking or permitting indecent photographs of children between January 23, 2017, and November 24, 2021.

His solicitor, Pauline Cullerton, requested that bail be continued while reports for sentencing were prepared, emphasizing that Blair had no previous convictions. The court, presided over by Sheriff William Wood, stated that it could not proceed with sentencing at that time and scheduled the case for September 7, when Blair is expected to be sentenced and potentially placed on the Sex Offenders Register.