BELLSHILL MAN JAILED FOR DOWNLOADING AND SHARING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES
A Bellshill man is behind bars after he was caught with more than 1500 child sex abuse photos and videos.Thomas Closs, 36, admitted downloading the vile material and sending dozens of images to other paedophiles online.
He appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court last week.
Kevin Morrow, prosecuting, said he was arrested on February 4 this year after police turned up at his home with a search warrant.
Mr Morrow stated: "He admitted a mobile phone and a tablet belonged to him but refused to provide passwords for them.
"Police also seized a hard drive and a laptop, but these were encrypted and attempts to gain access failed." Despite Closs being uncooperative, specialist officers were able to carry out a full forensic examination of his phone and tablet.
They found 771 photos involving children being sexually abused and 741 videos.
More than half were rated Category A - the most depraved - and some featured babies being abused.
Mr Morrow added: "Records of online chats were recovered and it was found that the accused had sent 77 images to other online users." Closs has been in custody since his arrest.
Sheriff Siobhan Connelly described the offences as "very serious".
Sentence was deferred until next month for background reports and a risk assessment.
Closs was placed on the sex offenders' register and again remanded in custody.
