RUARI PATTERSON FROM CARNOUSTIE SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE VIDEOS IN TAYSIDE AND FIFE

A young man from Carnoustie, Ruari Patterson, has been convicted of possessing highly disturbing and graphic child abuse videos, leading to a community-based sentence rather than imprisonment.

At just 20 years old, Patterson appeared before Forfar Sheriff Court in December, where he admitted to the possession and creation of indecent photographs of children. The court heard that the material he was found with was among the most graphic and disturbing types of child abuse imagery.

During the sentencing hearing, Sheriff Krista Johnston emphasized the harmful nature of Patterson’s actions, highlighting their direct connection to child abuse. She described his behavior as “harmful” and underscored the importance of addressing such offenses with appropriate measures.

As part of his sentence, Patterson was placed under a supervision order for a period of two years. Additionally, he will be registered on the sex offenders register indefinitely, a move designed to monitor and manage his behavior long-term.

Furthermore, the court mandated that Patterson participate in the Tay Project, a program aimed at rehabilitating sex offenders, along with completing the “Moving Forward: Making Changes” program, which focuses on behavioral reform and preventing future offenses.

Despite his young age, Sheriff Johnston acknowledged the necessity of treating Patterson as a juvenile offender, especially given his early guilty plea. She reiterated that possessing such images is inherently harmful and closely linked to child abuse, emphasizing the gravity of the offense.

To prevent any recurrence, the sheriff imposed strict conditions on Patterson’s conduct. He is only permitted to own a single mobile phone and one computer, both of which must be disclosed to authorities and available for inspection at any time.

He is explicitly prohibited from using encryption tools, VPNs, incognito browsing modes, or deleting his browsing history, all measures intended to prevent concealment of illegal material.

Billy Rennie, Patterson’s solicitor, stated that the storage of the material was not sophisticated and that there was no evidence of sharing the files.

Earlier in 2021, police executed a raid on Patterson’s family home on Philip Street following intelligence reports suggesting the presence of illegal files. During the operation, officers seized a Huawei mobile phone in Patterson’s possession, which was later analyzed.

The analysis uncovered evidence of highly graphic child abuse media, including two images and nine videos, some dating back to May 2020. The recovered material was categorized based on its graphic content, revealing the disturbing extent of his involvement.

The case also shed light on Patterson’s personal interests, including a 2019 Twitter thread where he discussed his ambitions in filmmaking.

For those interested in updates from Tayside and Fife courts, community members were encouraged to join local Facebook groups for further information.

Overall, the evidence and actions taken against Patterson reflect the seriousness of his offenses and the community’s commitment to safeguarding children. The community order with strict conditions aims to prevent future offenses and protect the public from further harm.