LARKHALL PAEDOPHILE JOHN DONNELLY SENTENCED AFTER SNAPCHAT STING IN SCOTLAND

In October 2018, John Donnelly, a resident of Larkhall, was sentenced to a year in prison following his arrest related to online child exploitation crimes. The conviction stemmed from a covert operation by police officers who set up an undercover profile on Snapchat, posing as a 13-year-old girl from North Wales. Donnelly, who described himself as 'naughty,' engaged with this fake profile, believing he was communicating with a minor.

During the online exchanges, Donnelly sent explicit images of himself to the undercover officer, including naked photographs, and made sexual comments, clearly indicating his intentions. The police investigation revealed that Donnelly had been involved in similar offending behavior previously, and his actions in this case occurred while he was still under supervision for earlier offenses. The court heard that Donnelly's responses to the fake profile were openly sexual, with him admitting to being 'still very naughty' despite knowing the age of the person he was chatting with.

Prosecutor Michael Macintosh detailed how the police created the profile and how Donnelly responded. The officer clarified that the profile was that of a 13-year-old girl, and Donnelly's reply was, 'Oh yes, well I’m still very naughty.' He then proceeded to send two explicit images of himself and engaged in sexual communication, which was later reported to the National Online Child Abuse Prevention Agency. The investigation uncovered a significant amount of illegal material on Donnelly's devices, including 232 photos and 142 videos depicting child abuse, many of which were classified at the most extreme levels of severity. Additionally, images and videos involving bestiality were also discovered.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court, Sheriff Thomas Millar emphasized that Donnelly's offending occurred while he was still under a previous supervision order. The court sentenced him to a year in prison and ordered a two-year period of supervision upon his release. Furthermore, Donnelly was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities.

Prior to this conviction, Donnelly had a history of similar offenses. In August 2018, he was also caught sending explicit images to an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl. During that incident, he used the alias 'NaughtyJohn35' and sent two naked photographs along with sexual comments. This behavior was reported to authorities, and Donnelly was subsequently charged with possessing and sharing indecent images, as well as hoarding extreme pornography. His social media profile revealed that he had been awarded a 'Dirtiest Mind' certificate in 2016, a spoof accolade given by colleagues at a Lanarkshire hotel where he worked.

When police apprehended Donnelly, he expressed remorse, stating, 'I know I need help, I’m sorry, it’s me, I’m the only one to blame.' Officers noted that his room contained furnishings and bedding similar to those in the images recovered from his devices. The investigation also uncovered a significant collection of illegal material, including videos and images of child abuse and bestiality. Donnelly was remanded in custody and the case was deferred until October for further reports, with bail continued. He remains on the sex offenders’ register, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.