JAMES STEWART FROM ARBROATH AND DUNDEE JAILED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGE HOARD

In a serious case that has shocked the communities of Arbroath and Dundee, James Stewart, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, has been sentenced to prison after authorities uncovered a significant collection of child abuse images stored on multiple devices.

Stewart, aged 42 and residing on Strathairlie Avenue in Arbroath, was found to have downloaded and stored a large number of indecent images of children on his personal devices during late 2015. This discovery came after police received a tip-off and conducted a series of raids at his residence in Dundee as well as his mother’s home in Arbroath.

During the operation, law enforcement officials seized various electronic devices, including a computer belonging to Stewart’s mother, a hard drive, and an iPad. These devices were subsequently examined, revealing a disturbing collection of images and videos. The hard drive contained 174 images depicting children aged between five and 15, with some classified at the most serious level of indecency. The videos, which lasted nearly six hours, further underscored the severity of the material found.

According to prosecutor Trina Sinclair, the investigation was initiated after police received intelligence on November 19, 2015, indicating that a device connected to the internet was actively downloading indecent images of children. The subsequent search of Stewart’s property and his mother’s residence led to the seizure of electronic equipment for forensic analysis.

Authorities confirmed that the Toshiba laptop, owned by Stewart’s mother, had previously been connected to the hard drive, which contained the illicit images. Despite the discovery, Stewart’s mother claimed to have no knowledge of the content stored on the devices.

Stewart’s criminal record includes a prior conviction from January 2015, making him a registered sex offender. Despite this, he had managed to avoid jail time at that point, only to later create a new hoard of child abuse images.

He pleaded guilty to charges of downloading indecent images of children in October and November 2015. The court heard that Stewart had completely violated the terms of a three-year community order imposed in early 2015, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the law and the safety of children.

In sentencing, the sheriff emphasized the gravity of Stewart’s actions, stating that he had “completely subverted” the community order. Stewart now faces a lengthy prison sentence, reflecting the serious nature of his offenses and the ongoing threat posed by individuals involved in such criminal activities.