KENNETH STALKER'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL IN DUNDEE AND WATERSTON

In October 2018, a disturbing case unfolded involving Kenneth Stalker, a man with a troubling history of possessing and collecting child abuse images in the Dundee and Waterston areas. The case revealed a pattern of criminal behavior that spanned several years, highlighting the severity of his offenses and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to address such heinous crimes.

Stalker, aged 39 and residing in Lordburn, Arbroath, was found to have amassed an enormous collection of over 25,000 indecent images of children. His criminal activities came to light after police monitoring him as part of his sex offender registration duties uncovered some of these images stored on his mobile phone. The investigation revealed that Stalker had taken elaborate measures to conceal his illicit material, including hiding a USB drive within the casing of his computer’s hard drive, in an apparent attempt to evade detection.

The police action was prompted by suspicions during community monitoring, leading to a detailed examination of his devices. When authorities dismantled his computer, they discovered the hidden USB stick, which contained thousands of indecent images. The hard drive itself held a total of 3,941 such images, alongside the material found on his mobile phone. Prosecutor Saima Rasheed told Dundee Sheriff Court that Stalker’s actions demonstrated a sophisticated effort to hide his illegal activities, emphasizing the extent of his criminal behavior.

Stalker, who faced charges of taking or making indecent images of children and possessing such images between June 1, 2017, and October 5, 2017, pleaded guilty to the offenses. He also admitted attempting to obstruct justice on June 1, 2017. His defense lawyer, Ian Myles, explained that Stalker’s actions were triggered by the discovery of the USB drive after his release from previous incarceration. According to his lawyer, Stalker acknowledged that viewing the images on the USB had prompted him to further download images onto his mobile phone, indicating a compulsive pattern of behavior.

During the court proceedings, Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC deferred sentencing until later in the month, while remanding Stalker in custody. She made it clear that custody was inevitable, citing his prior conviction as a factor that heightened the seriousness of his current offenses. Additionally, Stalker was placed on the sex offenders register, reflecting the ongoing risk he poses to the community.

Stalker’s criminal history includes a previous conviction from 2013, when he was jailed for 16 months after police discovered nearly 25,000 indecent images of children on his computers. That earlier case revealed that he had downloaded the material over a two-year period starting in June 2010, with the intent of deriving thrill from his illicit collection. The court heard that he had made it his “occupation” to search for such images on the internet, filtering through sick material to add to his collection, which included images of children as young as seven and numerous videos of a highly disturbing nature.

His arrest in 2012 followed a police raid on his home, prompted by a tip-off. During questioning, Stalker admitted to accessing indecent images, leading to a full search of his computer system. The investigation uncovered 24,699 files, including images and videos that were classified at the highest end of severity. His defense at that time, represented by David Sinclair, acknowledged his lack of a significant offending history but emphasized his obsession and compulsive behavior, which he claimed had given him a sense of thrill. The court responded by imposing a three-year supervised release order and placing him on the sex offenders register for ten years, underscoring the gravity of his actions.

Further back, in March 2013, Stalker, then residing in Waterston near Brechin, admitted to possessing nearly 25,000 images of child sex abuse at an address in Dundee. The police had discovered the extensive collection during a search of his home, which included images of children aged seven to teenagers, along with 131 videos. His possession of such material spanned from June 2010 to April 2012, with additional charges related to taking or permitting the taking of indecent photographs of children. His defense again highlighted that he had not shared or distributed the images, but the court recognized the serious nature of his offenses and deferred sentencing to May 2, 2013.

Throughout these proceedings, the courts have consistently emphasized the severity of possessing and viewing such images, with Sheriff Elizabeth Munro and Sheriff Lorna Drummond making clear that such behavior warrants significant penalties to protect the public and deter others from similar crimes. The case of Kenneth Stalker remains a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in uncovering and prosecuting offenders in Dundee, Waterston, and beyond.