A man was facing jail after on Tuesday being caught with a haul of child abuse images a sheriff described as “the most appalling material I have ever encountered”.
Jeffrey Underwood amassed a collection of almost 20,000 still images and videos depicting sexual abuse of children as young as three and women carrying out sex acts with horses and dogs.
Graphic descriptions of some of the images – too obscene to print – were read out after Underwood admitted two charges committed over the span of more than three-and-a-half years.
A sheriff warned Underwood he faces jail when he returns for sentencing next month and said: “I come across this type of case regularly – to say this material is more extreme is a significant statement.”
Fiscal depute Nicola Gillespie told Dundee Sheriff Court that officers raided Underwood’s flat close to Dundee city centre in October last year.
She said: “Officers seized a laptop, an external hard drive, USB stick and a tablet.
“It was analysed by cyber crime officers. In total they found 19,917 still images and nine videos of indecent images of children.
“There were also 1,183 extreme pornography images and one video.
“He appears to have been actively carrying out searches for children, particularly young children.”
Underwood, 48, of Bonnethill Court, Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to possessing indecent images of children between March 2014 and October 2017 and possessing extreme pornography between April 4 2016 and October 13 2017.
Defence solicitor Paul Parker Smith said Underwood was a “lonely and isolated” man.
He added: “He has never been in trouble before but now he finds himself charged with two very serious offences.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence until next month for social work background reports and released Underwood on bail meantime.
He said: “What is described is some of the most appalling material I have ever encountered.
“Every one of these photos and videos represents the actual abuse of a real child.
“When you look for this material and use it you create a market and in that way you contribute to that abuse taking place.”
Underwood was also placed on the sex offenders register pending sentencing.
