ZSOLT ZELE CAUGHT WITH THOUSANDS OF ILLEGAL IMAGES IN GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY

In June 2019, law enforcement authorities carried out a significant operation at the residence of Zsolt Zele, a 30-year-old resident of Grantown-on-Spey, following a tip-off from a child abuse monitoring agency. The intelligence indicated that Zele had accessed a website containing illicit material, prompting officers to investigate further.

On July 24 of the previous year, Inverness Sheriff Court heard that police executed a search warrant at Zele’s home, located at Waterford Cottages. During the raid, officers seized his computer for forensic analysis. The subsequent examination revealed that Zele had downloaded approximately 2,500 indecent images of young girls, all classified under the lowest category of obscenity, on June 30, 2015.

The images depicted minors aged between seven and fifteen years old, posing in sexually explicit manners. The prosecutor, Fiscal depute Robert Weir, detailed that the still photographs showed young girls in provocative poses, highlighting the severity of the material involved.

At the hearing, the court was informed that Zele’s sentencing would be deferred to allow for a comprehensive background report to be prepared. During the proceedings, defence solicitor Marc Dickson provided insight into Zele’s personal circumstances, revealing that he had recently left university and was struggling with mental health issues.

Mr. Dickson explained that Zele was unable to communicate effectively with his parents at the time, describing his state as one of depression and suicidal thoughts. He stated, “He was living a lie at the time, fell into depression and was suicidal. The downloading was done at the time. His parents are incredibly disappointed in him as he is with himself.”

Ultimately, Sheriff Margaret Neilson imposed a series of penalties on Zele. He was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service, participate in a sex offender’s rehabilitation programme, and remain under social work supervision for three years. Additionally, Zele was placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for the same duration, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities and compliance with the court’s directives.