GREENOCK PAEDOPHILE IAIN MCKELVIE CAUGHT DISTRIBUTING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN DAWN RAID

In August 2018, authorities in Greenock uncovered a disturbing case involving Iain McKelvie, a 60-year-old man who was found to be actively involved in the distribution of some of the most heinous child sexual abuse images online. The investigation revealed that McKelvie had been engaged in the collection and dissemination of these vile materials over a period stretching from February to October of the previous year.

Greenock police cybercrime officers executed a meticulously planned dawn raid on McKelvie’s flat located in the town centre. The operation was driven by intelligence suggesting that his device was being used to access and share indecent images of children. The authorities acted swiftly to apprehend him and secure evidence of his activities.

During the initial stages of the investigation, officers seized an Asus laptop from the sitting room of McKelvie’s residence. An initial examination of the device revealed the presence of indecent images, prompting further forensic analysis. The laptop was subsequently sent to the cybercrime unit for a comprehensive review.

Greenock Sheriff Court was informed that McKelvie had been collecting these disturbing images and videos over several months. The police investigation uncovered a total of 204 indecent still photographs and 29 videos depicting children being sexually exploited and abused. The images were categorized into different levels of severity: 29 images classified as Category A, 32 as Category B, and 140 as Category C. The videos included 14 in Category A, nine in Category B, and six in Category C.

Throughout the investigation, McKelvie remained silent, refusing to comment during police interviews. He was cautioned and charged but did not respond to the allegations. The detailed examination of his laptop confirmed the presence of these illicit materials, which had been accessed and stored on his device.

Further evidence revealed that McKelvie had shared at least one of the Category A images with another individual via an online messaging application. This act of distribution was a significant factor in the case against him.

McKelvie pleaded guilty to charges of taking, permitting, or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children, as well as to the distribution of such material. However, he accepted a plea of not guilty regarding a separate charge of possessing an image of bestiality, which was subsequently accepted by the court.

Prosecutor Saud Ul Hasan highlighted the severity of the case, emphasizing the sharing of the Category A image as a particularly disturbing element. Sheriff Derek Hamilton deferred sentencing until September 5 to allow for the preparation of background reports. In the meantime, McKelvie was placed on the Sex Offenders Register with immediate effect, marking a serious step in the legal process against him.