A Fife man who was caught with hundreds of child abuse images has been banned from using the internet without permission for three years.
Greig Frame downloaded more than 700 child abuse images to his phone, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard.
The 29-year-old, from Oakley, pled guilty to possessing the obscene material, which was created on his device between September 2020 and March 2021.
Solicitor Ian Beatson said Frame was struggling to cope with the death of his grandmother and had turned to drink.
Frame was ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work.
He must also comply with a series of strict court orders, imposed as a direct alternative to prison.
Must declare new relationships
Sheriff Ian Anderson placed him under supervision for three years and on the sex offenders register for the same time period.
The phone on which the vile images were found was also seized by the Crown.
He must complete the Moving Forward: Making Changes programme for sex offenders and only reside in approved accommodation.
Throughout his supervision period, Frame must not have contact with children under 16 unless approved by a supervisor.
He must also declare any new friendships and relationships.
Frame, of Stobie Place, will not be allowed to access the internet unless he has prior approval and must not clear or hide any history on devices used.
He must also make any devices capable of saving images or videos available for inspection upon request.
Sheriff Anderson said: “This is a punishment that requires you to pay back to the community.
“In your case, these are offences serious enough to justify this order as an alternative to custody.”
Police raid
At a previous hearing, procurator fiscal depute Jamie Hilland told the court police searched his home in March last year after receiving intelligence about a device being used to download images of children.
The fiscal depute said a total of 736 indecent images were discovered on a mobile phone found in Frame’s bedroom.
The court heard the files were created between September 2020 and March 2021 and contained images of girls and boys between the ages of three and 16; 49 were classed as category A, the most graphic kind.
