A one-time aspiring movie director from Angus has been caught with child abuse videos categorised by police as being the most graphic kind.
Paedophile Ruari Patterson appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court to admit taking or making indecent photographs of children.
Police arrived with a warrant at Patterson’s family home in Carnoustie, having gained intelligence sick files were on devices there.
Officers arrived at the property in Philip Street at 6.15pm on February 1 last year and found Patterson inside with his parents and sibling.
Police executed their search warrant and seized a Huawei mobile phone, which was on Patterson’s person at the time.
The device was sent for analysis and investigators found evidence of vile files within the device.
On the mobile was evidence of two images and nine videos which were categorised as being the most graphic abuse.
A further seven images and eight videos were rated as being Category B and 14 Category C images were also discovered.
If played back-to-back, the videos would have run for around 16 minutes.
None of the files were accessible to police.
Fiscal depute Sarah Wilkinson explained thumbnails existed on the phone from before the files had been deleted.
Some files dated back to May 2020.
On register
Patterson’s solicitor Billy Rennie said: “It’s not accessible to him anymore but he’s viewed it.
“It’s no longer on the phone.
“The usual reports will be required.”
Sheriff Derek Reekie ordered a social work report and for Patterson to be assessed for a restriction of liberty order and the Tay Project – a rehabilitation scheme for sex offenders.
The sheriff also placed the 20-year-old on the Sex Offenders Register and released him on bail.
A motion made by the Crown to seize the Huawei mobile phone was also granted.
The court heard Patterson has no previous convictions.
Sentencing on the former Carnoustie High School pupil was deferred until February 2.
In 2019, Patterson wrote a lengthy Twitter thread on his film-making ambitions.
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