A repeat sex offender from Fife started sobbing after police caught him seeking child abuse material for the second time.
Conor Gourlay is facing a prison sentence after he admitted being caught with dozens of images and videos in his St Andrews home.
Gourlay said he “couldn’t help himself” after he began crying while being grilled by police.
In 2022, Gourlay was ordered to perform unpaid work and placed on the sex offenders register for three years after possessing vile content in the hundreds at his former address in Kennoway.
As part of his community payback order, Gourlay was subject to stringent monitoring and had to hand over devices for inspection from supervising officers.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard that during an unannounced visit from police that Gourlay was caught asking for child abuse images from fellow paedophiles.
Sick leggings pics requests
Fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie said: “The accused took his time in answering the door.
“He was asked to hand over his mobile phone, which was to be checked.
“During the check, conversations on WhatsApp and Discord were uncovered where the accused is asking for photos of young females wearing leggings to be sent.
“The accused became increasingly nervous and was also accessing the Telegram platform where he was in a group chat and members had shared indecent images of children.”
Gourlay, now remanded at HMP Perth, claimed to have deleted the app with the images remaining on the gallery on his phone.
Ms Ritchie said: “The accused became tearful and said he couldn’t help himself and was sorry he had reoffended.”
Some of the material was at the highest level of depravity with 53 files in total uncovered from the phone.
Gourlay, 23, pled guilty to possessing indecent images of children on South Street, St Andrews, on February 29 this year.
A social work report was ordered by Sheriff David Hall who deferred sentence until next month.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
