A paedophile from Laurencekirk who used a browser to hide his internet history was caught with an indecent image of a girl as young as six as his screensaver.
David Campbell is monitored by the sex offender policing unit following a previous conviction and is subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act for an indefinite period.
The 31-year-old was also made subject to a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) prohibiting him from downloading or using any software designed to hide internet history or call and message logs.
But when officers arrived at his Laurencekirk home for an unannounced visit, Campbell was caught with a sexual image of a young girl saved as the screensaver on his phone.
Fiscal depute David Rogers told Aberdeen Sheriff Court an officer inspected Campbell’s mobile phone and looked at his recently downloaded apps during the evening of September 16 2021.
Indecent images uncovered
The first three results all related to Tor browsers, software that enables anonymous online communication.
Mr Rogers said: “The officer was aware that these applications do not record the history of internet browsing and that downloading such applications is in breach of the accused’s SOPO conditions.
“The accused’s mobile phone was seized for a full examination.
“A cybercrime analysis identified that a Tor browser had been downloaded on
June 28 2021.”
The examination also uncovered a number of indecent images and videos of children.
This included one accessible category A video, the most serious kind, lasting more than two minutes and featuring a young girl aged between six and nine years.
Two category B images were found, one of which was still accessible, featuring girls of the same age.
Mr Rogers said: “One of these images was set as the accused’s screensaver at the time of the seizure of the device.”
Detained in Royal Cornhill Hospital
There were also 21 inaccessible category C images found featuring girls aged between five and nine years engaged in “nude erotic posing”.
Officers arrested Campbell.
Campbell, of Cairnview Place, Laurencekirk, pled guilty to taking, permitting to be taken or making, as well as possession of indecent images of children between June 26 2021 and September 16 2021.
He also admitted breaching the terms of his SOPO.
Defence agent John Hardie said his client suffered from mental health issues including schizophrenia.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told Campbell: “I’m satisfied you meet the criteria for a compulsion order with you detained in Royal Cornhill Hospital and subject to the treatment required and outlined in the reports.”
The compulsion order will last for six months, after which a mental health tribunal will take over the matter.
The sheriff also made Campbell subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act again for an indefinite period.
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