A north-east man has been handed a supervision order after being caught in possession of more than 400 indecent images of children.
Clifford Startin was caught at his home in Fraserburgh last year by police acting on intelligence who then seized a phone, a PC tower and two hard drives from the property.
The 39-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted taking or making indecent photographs of children between December 31, 2018 and August 8 last year.
Fiscal depute Felicity Merson told the court that just over 400 indecent images and videos were found.
Of those, 71, as well as four videos, were classed as category A – the most serious.
A further 194 images were category B, while the remaining 144 pictures were category C.
Defence agent Leonard Burkinshaw told the court a social work report prepared on his client “speaks for itself”.
Sheriff Graeme Napier told Startin, of Heritage Way, Fraserburgh: “You now understand this is a serious matter and there are victims of these offences, even though you may not have thought so at the time.”
He ordered him to be supervised for three years and undertake the Moving Forward, Making Changes programme.
The sheriff also made a conduct requirement for Startin not to have access to an internet-enabled device without the consent of his supervising officer, any device must not have the capacity to delete browsing history, and that he must make it available for inspection upon request.
He also made Startin subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act for three years.
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