A Methil paedophile found with dozens of child abuse images told police he was “stupid” to have them on his phone.
Michael Bowie was later found to have shared the horrific images with other individuals.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard the material showed girls as young as four being raped.
The 37-year-old was arrested at work in the Leven branch of Argos, the court was told.
‘I’m stupid’
Fiscal depute Douglas Thomson said: “In January 2022 police received information that a Snapchat account had child abuse images on it.
“The mobile number linked (to the account) was that of the accused.
“They traced the accused at his place of work.
“They took possession of his mobile phone and later a search was carried out of his address.
“From within a bedside cabinet they recovered another mobile phone, with more child sexual abuse images recovered.”
Mr Thomson said that on being confronted by officers, Bowie told them “I’m stupid for actually having them on my phone.”
Sent images from Kik account
Police found 46 images and 9 videos at category A – the worst kind – depicting girls between the ages of four and 11.
They found 46 images and four videos at category B and 33 category C images. Some were duplicates.
Many depicted adults engaged in sexual acts with, or alongside, the children.
Bowie’s Kik messenger account was discovered, with 194 active chats.
They had been used to distribute some of the indecent images, with 14 category A, 15 category B and six category C items sent.
Bowie, of Morar Street admitted downloading indecent images of children at an another address in the town between September 24 2020 and August 28 last year.
He further admitted distributing or showing the images from the same address between May 30 2021 and April 28 last year.
Sentence was deferred for reports and Bowie was placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
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