A depraved sex offender who took secret pictures of a child from his Angus home as well as possessing sick images of children has been locked up.
Christopher Johnston, 45, previously admitted amassing thousands of vile images – some of which included animals – between 2016 and this year.
Johnston, who has previous convictions for sexual offences, was rumbled by police responsible for keeping tabs on him during an unannounced visit.
Police found images of children being abused as well as images of a female child in a state of undress.
A sheriff jailed Johnston for three years as well as placing him on the sex offenders register.
It was previously revealed at Dundee Sheriff Court that officers from the offender management unit attended his home in Arbroath and searched his mobile phone.
After becoming concerned about an image of a female child in a “non-sexualised” position, officers were later granted a warrant to search Johnston’s home.
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan said: “A search warrant was granted for the accused’s property where officers recovered an LG phone, an HP laptop and a red Fujifilm camera.
“On the red camera there were 66 category C images. Some included one young female in a state of undress taken in her bedroom window between May and August 2016. The accused made full admissions.”
When told a number of images of a naked girl had been found, Johnston admitted he had recorded them himself, the fiscal added.
A haul of indecent images were uncovered on phones and a laptop owned by Johnston which depicted children being abused.
Johnston, a prisoner of HMP Perth, pleaded guilty to taking or permitting to be taken indecent images of children between May 2016 and August this year at an address in Arbroath.
Between July and August this year, Johnston possessed extreme pornographic images depicting females, dogs, horses and cats.
On numerous occasions between May and August 2016, Johnston observed a female child committing a private act in that the child was in a state of undress.
Sheriff Tom Hughes imposed an extended sentence on Johnston comprising of three years in custody with a one-year supervision order. Johnston was also placed on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period.
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