An Aberdeen pensioner caught with more than 174,000 indecent images of children is refusing medical treatment for blindness to “punish himself” for his crimes.
Michael Walker, who suffers from cataracts in both eyes, can only see shapes and is hoping his failing sight will prevent him from reoffending in the future.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told the 78-year-old told officers he preferred looking at sexual images of children rather than adults because they were “flawless”.
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin said police found 174,587 images and 1,005 videos of an indecent nature when they raided his Aberdeen home in May 2023.
Paedophile said he finds children ‘perfect’ and ‘flawless’
She said when Walker answered the door he told officers: “I’m guessing it is in regard to naked pictures of girls.”
Once inside they found 53 devices which were then examined.
Ms Martin continued: “During interview, Walker admitted to downloading images of children and stated he preferred looking at naked pictures of children rather than naked pictures of adults.
“He denied being sexually attracted to children, indicating that he preferred looking at naked images of children rather than adults as the children were ‘perfect’ and ‘flawless’.
“He stated he had been viewing images of children since he first used the internet over 20 years ago.”
Haul of devices found
All 53 of Walker’s devices were found to contain child sexual abuse material, Ms Martin said.
They found 95 Category A images – the most extreme – 159 Category B and 174,333 graded as Category C.
Officers found 75 Category A videos, 51 Category B and 878 videos graded Category C.
Ms Martin said: “In total, 174,587 images and 1,004 videos were found. These would have been created between 7 May 2004 and 10 June 2023.”
Walker pled guilty to one charge of possessing indecent images of children spanning between May 7 2004 and June 10 2023.
‘He got sucked into the dark side’
Walker’s defence solicitor Caitlyn Pirie said her client was single, but had two adult children from a previous marriage and had been unemployed since the age of 30 after suffering a breakdown.
Ms Pirie told the court Walker had chosen not to get any medical treatment for cataracts in both eyes “to punish himself for the offences committed”.
“His loss of sight will offer some security that he will not offend in this manner again,” she said.
“He can only make out shapes and figures and is deaf in one ear.
“He accepts full responsibility and understands that this is wrong.
“He said he got sucked into the dark side.”
Sentencing
Sheriff Ian Wallace said a custodial sentence would have been justified “given the nature” of Walker’s offending.
Instead, he sentenced Walker to a Community Payback Order placing him under supervision for 36 months and adding a conduct requirement that he take part in a sex offenders’ rehabilitation programme.
Walker, of Denburn Court, Aberdeen, was also forbidden from owning any devices that could connect to the internet without prior approval.
He was also placed under a Restriction of Liberty Order to remain in his house between 7pm and 7am daily for 10 months.
Sheriff Wallace warned this was a direct alternative to custody and made him subject to the sex offender’s notification requirements indefinitely.