FIFE MAN WHO ENGAGED IN SEXUALISED CHATS WITH OLDER CHILDREN AND DOWNLOADED INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN
A 25-year-old man from Fife appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to admit to possessing indecent images of children as well as engaging in explicit sexual conversations with minors.Leon Miller, residing on Alexander Street in East Wemyss, pleaded guilty to two charges.
Between October 19 and 22 in 2020, he took or allowed others to take or produce unlawful photos or pseudo-photos of children at his residence and in other locations.
Additionally, from September 19 to 27 the same year, he sent sexually explicit messages to an individual he believed was 13 years old through an online messaging platform, attempting to engage in indecent communication with an older child.
Prosecutor Lee-Anne Barclay explained that police searched Miller’s home on October 22, 2020, following intelligence received.
A mobile device was recovered and examined, revealing two highly graphic videos classified as category A, depicting female children aged between six and 13.
The analysis also uncovered one image rated as category B and two images in category C.
Further investigation retrieved various conversation threads across multiple platforms, many of which revealed Miller’s sexual interest in minors and communications with individuals he believed to be between 13 and 16 years old.
One Snapchat exchange referenced his desire to have sex with an underage girl, perform a sexual act beside a six-year-old, and included the phrase “jailbait rape.” During court proceedings, it was noted that Miller, who was employed full time as a labourer, made sexually explicit comments in a chat with someone claiming to be 15.
In another message, he stated, “I think I’d end up still touching you if you were 13.” The sheriff, Robert More, postponed sentencing until October 21 to gather background reports, and Miller was ordered to remain on the sex offenders register with his bail continued.
Defense lawyer David Ritchie indicated he would defer further mitigation for his client, a first-time offender, until the next hearing.
