A north-east sex offender used his Xbox to search for indecent images of children after being “unable to resist”.
Gordon Yates appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for sentencing.
The 27-year-old was subject to a sexual offences prevention order at the time of the incident on December 5, banning him from having or using any device capable of accessing the internet.
He previously pled guilty to breaching the terms of the order by having the Xbox in his possession, and to possessing indecent images or pseudo-images of children.
Defence agent Gail Goodfellow said when the previous order was imposed he gave the games console to his aunt.
She said: “Unfortunately he was able to persuade his aunt to return the Xbox to him. His initial intention was to use it only for playing games, but he was unable to resist the temptation to use it for unlawful purposes.”
She added: “Mr Yates has suffered from ill health from a very early age.
“As a consequence of that he was bullied at school and began to suffer from depression.
“He is and was socially isolated with only the support of his mother.
“He describes to me having only one friend who doesn’t live in Aberdeen and who he met playing the Xbox.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told Yates, a prisoner of HMP Grampian: “Taking on board everything that’s been said on your behalf I have determined it’s just possible for you to avoid a custodial sentence.”
She ordered him to be supervised for three years, carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and gave him a restriction of liberty order for six months.
She also granted a sexual offences prevention order for five years with various conditions including banning him from owning or accessing a device capable of accessing the internet.
A Crown motion for forfeiture of the games console was also granted.
Depute-fiscal Colin Neilson previously told the court police went to Yates’ address for a home visit and found an Xbox One and TV screen displaying a web browser in his bedroom.
They also discovered more than 200 indecent images of children.
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