LANARKSHIRE MAN SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND VIDEOS
A Lanarkshire man pled guilty after he was caught with child sex abuse images and videos on three of his phones while being investigated for similar offences.It was also found that Robert Paterson sent explicit photos to other paedophiles during online chats.
Paterson, 38, appeared from custody at Hamilton Sheriff Court.
He admitted downloading the disgusting material at his home on Main Street, Wishaw, and elsewhere between June 2023 and February this year.
He also admitted distributing or sharing images, reports Lanarkshire Live.
The court heard police officers seized a mobile phone during a search of his home on January 26 last year.
They found 31 indecent photos and videos of children.
Investigators trawled through more than 3000 messages from his online chats.
They found that Paterson had sent child abuse images to other people.
He was released while specialist officers examined his phone.
Then on February 25 this year police officers returned to his home with another search warrant after intelligence suggested indecent images were again being downloaded.
This time they seized three phones that contained 44 pictures showing children aged from two to 16 being sexually abused.
They also recovered 11 videos of a similar nature.
Paterson has been in prison since his arrest in February.
Sheriff Siobhan Connelly told him: “You have pleaded guilty to very serious offences.” Sentence was deferred until later this month for background reports and a risk assessment.
Paterson was remanded in custody again and placed on the sex offenders’ register.
