A man who stored indecent pictures of children on his two computers has been spared jail.
Sheriff Andrew Berry told Liam Stewart that he did not think a custodial sentence would be appropriate.
Instead, he gave the 25-year-old a chance to address his health difficulties by placing him under supervision for three years.
Stewart will also take part in the cognitive behaviour programme, Moving On.
Wick Sheriff Court heard previously that police who raided Stewart’s home at Main Street, Lybster, on April 29, 2014 found one of his computers with three files on it and a second computer with four images and a video.
His lawyer, solicitor-advocate George Mathers, described Stewart as “an extremely vulnerable young man” who suffered from a depressive illness.
Mr Mathers said a background report on his client used the term “a tormented soul”.
He had developed feelings of guilt over the indecent images which led to mental health problems.
Mr Mathers said: “He has expressed relief that it has all come out and that he will get the help and treatment he requires. He has been extremely unhappy for a long time.”
The court heard that since being caught with the obscene images, Stewart had “completely isolated himself” in his home, with the exception of trips to supermarket.
Sheriff Berry said allowing him to address the outstanding issues in his life was more important than getting him to carry out unpaid community work.
Stewart was placed on the sex offenders register for three years and his two computers were forfeited.