KEVIN O’CONNOR FROM HELENSBURGH JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY DOWNLOADS

In June 2013, Kevin O’Connor, a resident of Helensburgh and a computer expert by profession, was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of downloading and possessing indecent images of children. The case drew significant attention due to the disturbing nature of the material and the circumstances surrounding his actions.

O’Connor, aged 53, appeared in Dumbarton Sheriff Court for sentencing, showing no visible emotion as the verdict was delivered. The court was informed that the images and videos recovered from his computer included some of the most extreme forms of child pornography, depicting children as young as two years old. The investigation revealed that the material consisted of both still images and moving pictures, some of which were classified as grade four and grade five on the police’s severity scale, with grade five being the most severe.

During the proceedings, O’Connor’s lawyer, Peter Young, attempted to provide an explanation for his client’s actions. He stated that O’Connor had been under significant personal stress due to a health concern—a lump in his groin area—which was later diagnosed as benign cysts. Mr. Young argued that his client believed he was suffering from cancer at the time and claimed that this fear led him to seek solace online, where he accessed the illegal material. However, Sheriff Simon Pender expressed skepticism about this explanation, indicating that he did not see a logical connection between the health fears and the possession of such material.

It was also revealed that O’Connor had resigned from his position as an IT and computer specialist the previous year, coinciding with the discovery of the allegations against him. Police investigations uncovered that his hard drive contained 83 images classified as grade four, with only 31 accessible to O’Connor himself; the rest had been deleted but were recovered by forensic experts. Additionally, authorities found 169 videos and numerous still images involving children as young as two years old.

At an earlier hearing, O’Connor had attempted to justify his actions by claiming he was trying to determine if any of his own family members had been victims of child abuse. When police officers arrived at his East Princes Street home on July 6 of the previous year, they observed that his computer was actively downloading illegal content. Further investigation confirmed that he had downloaded multiple indecent images and videos during that visit.

O’Connor was subsequently taken into custody at Clydebank Police Station, where he was interviewed. During the interview, he reiterated his concern about potential abuse within his family and explained that his searches were motivated by a desire to uncover any evidence of such abuse. He was also charged with breaching bail conditions that prohibited him from accessing the internet.

Depute fiscal Sarah Healing reported that police officers, during their visit to O’Connor’s residence, noticed a mobile phone and a tablet computer on a coffee table. Further examination revealed that these devices contained additional pornographic images downloaded by O’Connor.

In mitigation, Mr. Young highlighted that O’Connor was a first-time offender, maintained a stable relationship with an adult partner, and was considered by social workers to pose a low to moderate risk of re-offending. Despite these factors, Sheriff Pender decided on a substantial sentence, reflecting the seriousness of the crimes.

O’Connor was sentenced to two years in prison, with the first four and a half months to be served immediately. Following this, he will be under supervision for a period of 19 and a half months. Additionally, he received an 80-day jail term for breaching his bail conditions, to run consecutively with the initial sentence. The court also imposed a sexual offences prevention order, which restricts O’Connor from accessing the internet through any means other than during employment, for a period of five years. Furthermore, he was placed on the sex offenders register for ten years, reflecting the gravity of his offenses and the need for ongoing monitoring.