RODNEY RICE FROM PERTHSHIRE ADDED TO SEX OFFENDERS' REGISTER AFTER CHILD ABUSE IMAGES FOUND

In May 2021, Rodney Rice, a 49-year-old Virgin Media field engineer residing at Kirkton Farm Cottage, Abernyte, was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register following the seizure of electronic devices containing indecent images of children from his home.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, after the court has reviewed background reports. Perth Sheriff Court heard that police officers from Police Scotland obtained a search warrant for Rice's residence after receiving confidential information indicating that indecent images of children might be stored on his devices.

The warrant was executed at 7.45am on August 19, 2020. During the search, officers recovered a White Gamemax computer tower, which indicated that indecent images had been downloaded there between 7.10am and 7.18am on the same day. Rice confirmed that the computer belonged to him.

Additionally, officers seized a Seagate hard drive, which contained one indecent image of children and eight videos. Deputy Fiscal Michael Sweeney explained, “In total, the video run time was 26 minutes and 22 seconds. There were two category A, four category B, and two category C videos.”

Sheriff William Wood ordered a social inquiry report and an assessment from the Tay Project, which is dedicated to rehabilitating sex offenders.

Rice admitted to downloading indecent images of children at his home between April 13 and August 19, 2020. He also pleaded guilty to owning an air weapon without a proper license. During police interview, he stated that he had purchased the air weapon years ago in Blackpool, and it had not been used in recent times. He admitted that he had not yet obtained a license for it.