A St Andrews paedophile, already jailed for having sick child abuse material, has been given another prison term after police sniffer dogs helped uncover further offending.
Arron Kyle, 23, was caught out when police raided his grandparents’ home, where he slept on a couch.
Illicit devices were found by sniffer dog Willow – trained to find hidden electronics – and Kyle was arrested.
He pled guilty to taking or making sick images between October 1 in 2020 and July 31 in 2024 at his home in St Andrews.
He also admitted distributing vile content between January 6 and November 9 of 2023.
Clips included a toddler being raped.
Eight months before the raid, Kyle was caught with other sickening films and pictures in a file marked “favourites” on his phone and was subsequently jailed.
Sentencing
Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith jailed Kyle for 16 months, backdated to April 14, and placed him on the sex offenders register for a decade.
He also granted forfeiture of his devices.
He said: “In assessing the harm or potential harm, it’s often said thought that cases of this kind don’t involve any victims – that would be erroneous.
“Often the individuals who are sexually abused, such as the toddler that was raped, are not AI but a real child, usually from the most impoverished parts of the world, often sold into slavery by their parents and abused time and time again, such that there is significant psychological harm that is everlasting.
“In light of the fact you pled guilty to distribution, custody in my view is inevitable.”
The sheriff said: “I note that you are 23 and I also have to have regard to Scottish sentencing guidelines that relate to sentencing of young people.
“That is particularly important in your case, given there’s significant immaturity.
“Your chances of rehabilitation are greater than a person of greater years than you.
‘Living in a dream world’
Kyle’s solicitor David Bell said: “Something flagged up… police were carrying out examinations from time to time anyway.
“There was an element of deceit on his part.
“Mr Kyle had a great difficulty in accepting any form of responsibility last time.
“That seems to have moved to quite an extent – although there is a reference to minimisation, he doesn’t seem to be trying to backtrack.
“I think it’s fair to say Mr Kyle was living in a bit of a dream world.
“He’s been in jail now since August 1 in 2023. He is not enjoying the experience. He has not found it an easy experience.”
Raid
The court heard police raided the flat on the morning of July 31 last year.
Prosecutor Joanne Ritchie said: “Police executed a search warrant, granted on the basis of intelligence indicating indecent images of children had been downloaded there, with PD Willow.
“The accused said he only had an Xbox. His grandparents provided their devices and passwords.”
A tablet was hidden under the sofa on which Kyle slept and another phone was sniffed out by PD Willow, in a blanket in Kyle’s grandfather’s room.
Police found sick videos and images on the devices, showing children as young as two.
Evidence was discovered of a modified version of messaging app Kik, called Kik Blue, in which Kyle had been in a group chat with 162 other users and he had shared more than 160 images.
Kyle told officers “sorry” but denied having sexual interest in children.
Ms Ritchie said: “He indicated he had a problem with people sending him indecent images of children.”
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