NEIL ROSS FROM STRATHPEFFER CAUGHT IN SHOCKING ONLINE CHILD SEX OFFENCE INVERNESS

A man named Neil Ross, residing in Strathpeffer, has been apprehended and brought before Inverness Sheriff Court following a disturbing online incident involving an undercover police operation. The court heard that Ross, aged 23, engaged in illicit communication with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl, but was in fact an officer conducting an undercover investigation.

According to the prosecution, the contact began on January 31 of the previous year when Ross initiated a conversation on Chat Avenue with an account under the name “Sophie.” Unbeknownst to him, this profile was operated by an undercover police officer tasked with monitoring online child exploitation. The officer testified that the profile explicitly stated that “Sophie” was 14 years old, a detail Ross acknowledged during the exchange.

The conversation then moved from the chat room to Snapchat, where the interaction quickly turned sexual in nature. Ross, in his communications, suggested that he was performing a solo sexual act and explicitly asked “Sophie” to show “under her pyjamas.” The court was informed that Ross sent four explicit photographs of his genitals, with his bedding clearly visible in the background, to the undercover officer posing as “Sophie.”

Following this disturbing exchange, the police acted swiftly. The information and chat logs were handed over to the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, leading to a search warrant being executed at Ross’s residence. During the search, officers recovered bedding that matched the images sent to “Sophie,” and Ross’s mobile phone was seized for further analysis. Examination of the device revealed profiles consistent with those used to communicate with “Sophie,” confirming his involvement in the online activity.

In court, Sheriff Gary Aitken was informed of Ross’s previous conviction for possessing indecent images, highlighting a concerning pattern of behavior. The sheriff indicated that he was seriously considering imposing a sexual harm prevention order to restrict Ross’s future conduct. Addressing Ross directly, Sheriff Aitken emphasized the gravity of the case, stating, “You have a previous conviction for section 52A [possession of indecent images] – you have moved on to attempting to actually contact children.”

The sheriff also noted that some of the offending may have occurred while Ross was participating in the “Moving Forward to Change” programme, a rehabilitation initiative for sexual offenders, which raised further concerns. A presentencing report and additional assessments were ordered to evaluate Ross’s suitability for continued participation in the programme.

Given the serious nature of the offences, Sheriff Aitken indicated that a custodial sentence was highly likely. Ross was also placed on the sex offenders register with immediate effect and was granted bail until sentencing, scheduled for the following month. The court’s proceedings underscored the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and protect vulnerable minors from predatory individuals like Neil Ross from Strathpeffer.