PETER WILSON FROM BRIDGE OF EARN SENTENCED FOR CHILD INDECENT IMAGES

In March 2018, a serious case unfolded at Perth Sheriff Court involving Peter Wilson, a 39-year-old resident of Kintillo Gardens in Bridge of Earn. Wilson faced charges related to possessing indecent images of children on his personal computer, a crime that has profound implications for the safety and well-being of minors.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Wilson had been found with a total of 12 such images stored on his laptop at his home address. These images were classified into different categories based on their severity, with one being of the most disturbing type, categorized as A. The remaining images fell into categories B and C, indicating varying degrees of explicitness and harm.

The court was informed that Wilson’s actions contributed to the ongoing cycle of child exploitation and abuse, with the presiding judge emphasizing the harm caused by individuals involved in such activities. The judge stated, “It is people like you who make children suffer. This is a very serious offence. Although it is a relatively small number of images, the reality is that many children suffer when these images are made.”

According to the prosecution, police officers executed a search warrant at Wilson’s residence following investigations into his online activities. During the search, authorities seized multiple electronic devices, including a silver iMac computer. Forensic analysis of these devices uncovered the incriminating images, which had been stored in specific folders, including one labeled iLifeAssetManagement. Some images had been deleted by Wilson, as indicated by unallocated sections in the digital evidence.

Further examination revealed that the images had been uploaded via a photostream application to Wilson’s iCloud account, suggesting he had used cloud storage services to manage and possibly share the content. A medical report also indicated that Wilson had a propensity to engage in sex chat rooms online and to watch pornography, highlighting a pattern of concerning online behavior.

Wilson admitted to possessing the indecent images of children on his computer between October 26, 2015, and March 16 of the previous year. His solicitor explained that her client had been involved in internet chatrooms where he received and downloaded images sent by others. She added that Wilson had sought help for his behavior, including counseling from a charity called Stop It Now, and that his problematic online activity had become more severe over time.

Following the court’s assessment, Sheriff Gillian Wade sentenced Wilson to a community-based disposal order lasting three years. As part of his sentence, Wilson will be under the supervision of social workers and is required to complete 100 hours of unpaid community service. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register for a period of three years, reflecting the gravity of his actions and the need for ongoing monitoring to protect the community, especially vulnerable children.