A notorious paedophile has been jailed after he was caught downloading software used to delete a computer’s internet browsing history.
Cameron Anderson, 41, was taken into police custody after it was revealed he had breached his sex offenders prevention order on a number of occasions – including by installing the encrypted messaging app Telegram on his phone.
It was discovered by police that Anderson – who has form for defying court orders after he was made subject to the sex offenders register in 2014 – had installed the computer cleaning software and then deleted it.
He was jailed for almost two years for this latest offence.
Sheriff Craig Findlater told Anderson he had been left with no alternative after knowingly breaching his order.
Accused claimed he wanted computer too ‘run better’
Fiscal depute Calum Gordon told the court that Anderson was convicted for multiple contraventions of the sex offenders act in 2014 and was subsequently made subject to a Sex Offenders Prevention Order.
One of the conditions of the order was that it prohibited Anderson from deleting his internet history and messages or downloading software designed to prevent access to data, deleting data, or concealing relevant data.
On October 10 2023, police officers attended at Andreson’s home in Ellon where an examination of his phone showed that he had deleted six messages.
When asked what they were, Anderson replied: “But they are pictures.”
Software cleaner downloaded
On March 24 last year, a notification was received by police from eSafe indicating that software had been installed on Anderson’s computer called CCleaner that can be used to remove unwanted files and delete internet history.
Officers went to Anderson’s home, where they confirmed that the software was no longer on the PC, but the internet history showed that it had been downloaded.
Anderson was asked about it and said that he was aware of the software and had planned to use it to clean up his computer to get it to run better.
He admitted downloading CCleaner and said that as soon as he saw it had the option to download a computer’s internet history, he uninstalled it without using it.
Another examination of Anderson’s mobile phone confirmed that he had downloaded the Telegram app on May 12 before deleting it the following day.
When asked about that, Anderson admitted downloading the app but claimed he had done so by accident.
In the dock, Anderson pleaded guilty to three charges of breaching his sexual offence prevention order.
‘You know the conditions’
Defence solicitor John McLeod that a background report into his client “presents something of a sorry picture”.
He claimed that his client had suffered a serious assault and had become isolated and that this was “perhaps the context in which these offences had been committed”.
“The period of time that Mr Anderson has been in custody in relating to these matters is something your lordship will take account of,” he told the sheriff.
He added: “Mr Anderson has had personal difficulties and has a difficult family situation – it’s fair to say he has complex issues.”
Sheriff Findlater told Anderson: “You appear before this court with a history of sexual matters.
“You know the conditions that are in place, but you have breached them on a number of occasions.
“I consider that only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”
Sheriff Findlater sentenced Anderson, of Commercial Road, Ellon, to a total of 23 months in prison.
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