ROBERT YOUNG FROM STIRLING SENTENCED TO A YEAR IN PRISON FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGE OFFENSES

In a serious case that has shocked the local community, Robert Young, a man from Stirling, has been handed a prison sentence of one year after admitting to possessing and creating illegal images involving children. The conviction follows a detailed investigation and a guilty plea entered by Young in January, during which he acknowledged engaging in the creation and possession of illicit material over a period of nearly twelve months.

The case came to light when police executed a warrant at Young’s residence in Kings Court, Alloa, at approximately 8:25 am on December 15, 2023. During the raid, officers found Young inside the property along with his wife. The police search uncovered a disturbing collection of digital devices, including a tablet and a mobile phone, which contained highly inappropriate images. During police interviews, Young admitted, “I’m not going to lie to you, a few years ago a friend came to the house and was watching something. I was watching with him.”

It was noted that Young, who is wheelchair-bound, was experiencing a difficult period in his life following a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Despite his health challenges, the evidence found on his devices painted a troubling picture. The tablet’s trash folder contained an image of a girl estimated to be between 10 and 12 years old, depicted sitting naked with her legs apart. The image was described as computer-generated but realistic enough to be classified as pseudo-photographs of children, which is considered highly inappropriate and illegal.

Further examination of Young’s mobile phone revealed the presence of 140 additional indecent images of children, some as young as four years old. These images were categorized into three levels of severity: 47 in Category A, 47 in Category B, and 45 in Category C. All these images had been created within a two-week window prior to the police raid, indicating recent activity. Investigations confirmed that the images were sourced from the dark web using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), with evidence pointing to the use of a specialized browser designed for anonymous browsing.

In addition to these images, authorities uncovered a further 351 borderline or suggestive sexual photographs, adding to the severity of the case. Young, aged 34 at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing and creating indecent images of children between December 30, 2022, and December 15, 2023. As part of his sentence, he will also be required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, underscoring the gravity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.