KEVIN ROBERTSON FROM NEW BYTH CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the local community of New Byth, near Turriff, Kevin Robertson, a 43-year-old man, was found to possess a disturbing collection of illegal images and videos depicting the abuse of children as young as six years old. The disturbing material was uncovered during a police raid on his mother’s residence, where authorities discovered a vast array of illicit content stored across multiple devices, including computers, hard drives, and laptops.

These devices contained hundreds of indecent images of minors under the age of 16, alongside hours of video footage showing horrific acts of abuse. The investigation revealed that Robertson had been involved in the possession and distribution of this material over a period spanning from November 28, 2014, to July 29, 2018. The police were alerted in September 2017 when it was discovered that images originating from an IP address registered to his residence were being uploaded to the internet, prompting a detailed investigation.

Among the devices examined was a Toshiba laptop belonging to Robertson, which contained approximately 200 videos of children under 16 being abused, with the youngest victim being only six years old. The laptop also held four images classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse, along with seven Category B images and three Category C images, which are considered less severe but still illegal. Another device, a Dell PC tower, was found to contain a folder labeled “pre-teens,” further highlighting the disturbing nature of the content. In total, the investigation uncovered over four days’ worth of illegal videos, amounting to four hours, four minutes, and 58 seconds of footage.

Authorities also seized various other hard drives, discs, and storage devices, some of which contained additional illegal videos and photographs. One particular disc alone contained seven hours of illicit content, emphasizing the extent of Robertson’s involvement in this criminal activity.

Kevin Robertson, who previously worked as a forklift driver, was arrested on July 13 of the previous year. He was charged with possessing indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children and sharing such material over the years. During his court appearance at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Robertson pleaded guilty to the charges, which covered the period from November 28, 2014, to July 29, 2018.

In sentencing, Sheriff Morag McLaughin opted for a punishment that avoided immediate imprisonment. She ordered Robertson to complete 220 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to jail time. Additionally, she imposed a ten-year supervision order and placed him on the sex offenders register for three years. The sheriff also confirmed that Robertson’s existing bail conditions, which prohibit him from accessing the internet or having contact with children, would remain in effect. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness of the crimes committed and the ongoing concern for community safety in the North East of Scotland.