MAN FOUND WITH INDECENT IMAGES AND EXTREME PORNOGRAPHY AVOIDS JAIL
A man from Stonehaven narrowly avoided a prison sentence after police raided his residence and discovered inappropriate material, including child abuse images and extreme pornography, on his mobile device.Thomas Metcalf, aged 33, appeared before Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he pleaded guilty to downloading and possessing over twelve indecent images and videos depicting children.
He also admitted to downloading nearly thirty minutes of explicit footage.
Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison emphasized that it was his duty to impose a sentence that publicly denounces such conduct while also safeguarding the community in the long term.
According to prosecutor Stephanie Cardow, authorities received intelligence in March 2025 indicating that Metcalf’s online account was involved in acquiring child sexual abuse content.
On March 26, 2025, officers executed a search warrant at his David Street, Stonehaven, home, which he and his then-partner allowed them to enter.
They recovered a black Samsung mobile phone from the bedroom, with Metcalf confirming ownership and providing the PIN code.
He was later questioned but declined to comment.
Cybercrime analysts examined the phone and identified 17 images and videos of child abuse, recorded between June 14, 2024, and March 26, 2025, with a total duration of 4 minutes and 50 seconds.
Additionally, investigators uncovered 27 videos depicting extreme pornography, created from June 14 to December 26, 2024, with a total length of nearly 28 minutes.
Metcalf admitted to charges of downloading indecent images and videos of children and possessing such material, alongside a count of possessing extreme pornography.
His solicitor, Iain Hingston, noted that a custodial sentence might be considered but also highlighted positive aspects from a background report.
He stated that his client accepted his guilt and had taken steps to address his issues.
Sheriff Grant-Hutchison explained that while the primary concern was protecting the public, there was also a need to express societal disapproval of his actions.
Ultimately, the sheriff decided that community-based measures would better serve public safety than imprisonment.
Consequently, Metcalf was sentenced to a three-year supervision order with community payback, including 150 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to wear an electronic tag for six months as part of a restriction of liberty order.
Furthermore, he must participate in the Aberdeen Sex Offenders Programme and was placed on the sex offenders register for three years.
