A Merseyside builder who downloaded sick child abuse material while living in Montrose has been placed on the sex offenders register for the next five years.
Philip Mills has since left Scotland to live with his parents in Formby.
Mills previously appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court, where his case was reduced from indictment to a summary complaint.
At a hearing last year, he pled guilty to taking or making indecent photographs of children on February 4 2019.
However, the first offender was not caught with the material until police raided his former Glenlethnot Place home three-and-a-half years later.
The obscene files were detected on a phone and a USB pen.
The 58-year-old will returned to the dock to be sentenced after an assessment by social workers in the Liverpool area.
Aware liberty risked
Solicitor Nick Markowski explained that Mills had returned to live with his parents in England.
Mr Markowski said: “He is a self-employed builder by trade.
“He’s assessed as suitable for a community payback order with both supervision for a period and unpaid work.
“He’s aware – given the nature of the offence – that his liberty is at risk.
“However this matter has been reduced to a summary complaint and the number of images in this case is low.”
Mr Markowski said his client had attended the Lucy Faithfull course – in conjunction with Stop It Now! – in Edinburgh off his own back.
“None of the images were accessible to Mr Mills,” he added.
“He’s already done some work to address issues.
He said his client had a history of mental health issues.
On register
Sheriff Garry Sutherland imposed a direct alternative to custody on Mills.
Mills will be under supervision for two years and must complete 180 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months.
The sheriff stated this number “marks the seriousness of the offence.”
His devices were forfeited and he was placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
The sheriff said: “Mr Mills, this is a serious offence, and one for which absolutely jail is in the court’s mind in how to deal with it.”
Disgusting find
Fiscal depute Duncan McKenzie previously told the court “intelligence had been received by the police” and a warrant was granted to search Mills’ then-home in Montrose on September 22 in 2022.
“They found Mr Mills within the address, alone,” the prosecutor said.
“During the search, a number of electronic items were found.
“Examination of the devices was successful.
“During the examination of Mr Mills’ mobile telephone, the police found one photograph showing child sexual exploitation.”
The image was identified as Category A, the most graphic kind.
It depicted a primary school aged child being sexually abused by a grown man.
“That was created on February 4 in 2019,” Mr McKenzie continued.
Another nine images were discovered on a USB stick, showing children 14 or younger.
The creation dates of these files, all considered category C, were not clear to police.
For more local court content visit our dedicated page or join us on Facebook.
