A Dundee joiner arrested over allegations he shared child abuse images with online paedophiles was spared a jail sentence.
Gary Brown admitted downloading, possessing and distributing indecent images of children and possessing an “extreme porn” video.
When he was quizzed by police Brown said he watched porn daily, but had “no sexual interest in children”.
The sheriff court was told police went to Brown’s door after being tipped off that someone at the address possessed child abuse images.
Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin said: “The property was attended by police on October 5 last year.
“He was later detained and taken to police HQ in Dundee.
“When interviewed he said he hadn’t specifically searched for these images but had been sent them from contacts on a messenger app.
“He stated he had shared images on the app and confirmed indecent images of children would be found on his phone.’’
Brown, 40, of Aberlady Crescent, pleaded guilty on indictment to downloading, possessing and distributing indecent images of children between May and October last year.
He further admitted possessing extreme pornography between December 2016 and October 2017.
Sheriff Alastair Brown imposed a community payback order with three years’ supervision, conduct requirements restricting his internet usage, an order to take part in a sex offenders groupwork programme, and placed him on the sex offenders register for three years.
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