KIRKCALDY MAN CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE MATERIAL WITH BABIES AS YOUNG AS WEEKS OLD.
A man aged 27 from Kirkcaldy was caught with a large number of indecent images and videos of children stored on his phones.Sean Fleming, with an address in Greenloanings, appeared in Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to be sentenced after admitting two charges related to these offences.
Between January 23, 2022, and May 30, 2022, Fleming either took or permitted the creation of indecent images or pseudo-photos of minors.
Subsequently, from June 22, 2022, to May 30, 2023, he was found in possession of such images.
Prosecutor Sarah Smith stated that police executed a search warrant on Fleming’s home on May 30 after intelligence was received regarding the upload of such images.
Fleming was not at home during the search but was later identified at his workplace, where officers presented the warrant and arrested him.
Officers recovered two mobile phones from Fleming, discovering a total of 227 indecent images and 148 videos.
Of these, 144 images and 91 videos were classified as the most graphic, Category A.
The images showed children of both genders, ranging from newborns to 15 years old, the prosecutor explained.
Sheriff Steven Borthwick noted that such offenses are often considered victimless but are clearly not, describing the act of making these images as "deplorable" and highlighting the lasting harm to the children involved.
The sheriff considered Fleming’s early guilty plea and his efforts to seek help through the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which influenced his sentencing.
He was sentenced to perform 120 hours of community unpaid work, placed under supervision for two years, and required to participate in the Moving Forward to Change group therapy.
Strict conditions were imposed, including restrictions on contacting children under 16 without approval, avoiding new romantic relationships, and refraining from internet chat or dating websites.
The sheriff also told Fleming that community payback orders serve as a serious alternative to custody, and he was registered as a sex offender for two years.
