A pensioner who claimed he accidentally downloaded an indecent image of a child while looking for war films has been handed supervision.
Ronald Singer didn’t delete the category C image, though, and when police searched his device he was arrested.
The 67-year-old said the image, of a young girl aged between eight and 10, had appeared on his device after he used a torrent site to download war films.
Singer, of Earns Heugh Walk, Cove, previously pled guilty to taking, permitting to be taken or making an indecent image or pseudo-image of a child.
Sentence had been deferred for reports, but the pensioner has now appeared back in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to learn his fate.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly said the offence was at the “lowest end of the spectrum” in terms of seriousness.
‘He is mortified’
He added: “He categorically denies intentionally searching for images and says he’s not sexually attracted to children.”
Mr Kelly said Singer, a retired quality assurance engineer, had not offended in more than 35 years prior to this.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Singer: “It’s clear, overall, you’re a person who has led a useful, productive life in spite of certain issues.
“It does seem to me it would be of benefit to you to have the support of the social work department for a period to enable you to deal with those issues.”
She imposed a six-month supervision order as well as the notification requirements of the sexual offences act for the same period.
The sheriff also ordered Singer to complete the Aberdeen Sex Offenders programme.
As the case concluded, an observer in the public gallery branded Singer a “creepy b******”.
At an earlier hearing, fiscal depute Eabha Sweeney said the one image was created on March 18 last year and was found on April 28 last year after a search warrant was executed on his Cove home.
Indecent image was of young girl
“A systematic search of the locus was conducted,” she said. “Two detective sergeants from the forensic computing department attended and carried out preliminary examinations of the devices found.
“An HP computer was found to contain one Category-C associated CSM format image which featured a girl approximately eight to 10 years old.”
Singer was taken to a cell at Kittybrewster police station where he gave a no comment interview.
Said he was downloading war films
At an earlier hearing, Mr Kelly said: “Since he was a young male he used to watch World War Two films with his father.
“He has accessed such films in the past through a torrent website which is a download website for copyright material.
“While downloading, he found that other material of another nature found its way onto this machine.
“He didn’t delete it.
“He is mortified at finding himself in the dock.
“He accepts this is not a victimless crime to provide an audience for such material he feels extremely ashamed.”
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