A 22-year-old pornography addict was caught with images of rape and of children being sexually abused after seeking more extreme content to give him “a bigger hit”.
Edson Pacheco downloaded 254 still images and 28 videos of children and distributed two of them to another internet user.
But the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit was able to alert police to Pacheco’s crimes and a search of a property in Old Mill Lane on April 12 2021 revealed the indecent material on his mobile phone.
Officers also found scenes of rape on the device.
Pacheco, of Telford Street, Inverness, admitted possessing the material, distributing some of it and possession of an extreme image.
Most of the videos and 76 of the stills were category A, the most obscene kind.
Defence solicitor advocate Neil Wilson told Inverness Sheriff Court Pacheco’s passion was “like a drug” and that he “sought more extreme pornography”.
‘He is young and has taken positive steps’
He added: “It was not a sexual attraction.”
Sentence had previously been deferred for a background report and Pacheco was immediately placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
Mr Wilson said: “He has expressed remorse to me and engaged with the Stop It Now programme.
“The police are to be commended because when someone makes a full confession, a leaflet is provided for this programme and he immediately sought help.
“He is a first offender, is young and has taken positive steps,” Mr Wilson added.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson sentenced Pacheco to 200 hours of unpaid work and placed him under social work supervision for 18 months.
He will remain on the Sex Offenders Register for the same period.
