A respected Perthshire man found with more than 4500 indecent images of children has avoided prison.
Alan Parker had faced a custodial sentence for downloading thousands of vile photographs, but this was not deemed appropriate as the majority were at the lower end of the scale.
However, Sheriff Michael Fletcher raised concerns that Tayside Police assessed almost 100 images at levels 4 and 5, which depict the most horrific abuse against children.
He told Parker (65), of Blairgowrie, that, had he been able to impose an extended sentence, the accused would “almost certainly” have been jailed.
He said, “Another difficulty is the social inquiry report indicates that, if I decide to impose a custodial sentence, I should impose an extended one.
“But, in the report, under the risk assessment, they say there is no view of him being likely to pose serious harm to individuals in the community.
“If you look at reasons for imposing an extended sentence, one of those is to protect the public from risk. The information I have is that there is no serious risk.”
At an earlier hearing, Perth Sheriff Court had heard that officers had received a tip-off about Parker’s activities and obtained a search warrant for his Balmoral Road home.
During a raid on April 27, 2010, two computer towers were recovered and following further examination, were found to store child pornography.
The first tower contained 90 level 1 images and one video, assessed at level 3 on the new Definitive Scale used by police forces and the Scottish courts.
Officers found thousands more images on the second tower, including 4648 live and recorded images assessed as level 1, some 97 at levels 2 and 3 and finally 95 at the highest two levels.
A4-sized photographs were also found in the house, having apparently been printed from the internet.
Following unsuccessful efforts to trace the accused, officers from Tayside Police left a “calling card” at his home, which Parker found on his return from a short break.
However, it took him until a week after the raid to contact the police on May 4.
Defence agent David Holmes said his client, who cares for an elderly parent, had fully co-operated from the outset and was a “willing participant” with the reports.
Parker pleaded guilty to a charge that between January 12, 2008, and April 27, 2010, at his home address, he was in possession of indecent or pseudo photographs of children.
Sheriff Fletcher placed him on probation for three years, with five additional conditions.
These include that he undertakes a community sex offender programme; that he doesn’t own or use any equipment, including computers and mobile phones, that allow him to access the internet without approval from his supervising officer; that he doesn’t own any photographic or mobile equipment that allows him to send or receive images; that he does not undertake any paid or voluntary work which puts him in contact with children; and that he doesn’t have any unsupervised contact with children.
He also placed Parker on the sex offenders register for the duration of the probation order.