A REPEAT paedophile scoured the web for horrific images of toddlers being tortured days after a previous internet ban ran out.
Brian Clark bought a laptop and got back online just two weeks after a net ban imposed for a previous sex offence conviction expired.
Three days later he started to download hundreds of disturbing images and videos described in court as “extremely graphic”.
In all, 15 hours and 50 minutes of videos and almost 450 images on his computer and a USB device, which included children of both sexes aged 1 to 15 being sexually abused.
Fiscal depute Nicola Gillespie told Dundee Sheriff Court has previous convictions for lewd and libidinous behaviour and had been on licence after release from prison, which expired on May 18 this year.
He had been banned from accessing the internet as part of that order, but almost immediately began downloading material from websites, despite being subject to a supervised release order, the court heard.
Miss Gillespie told the court: “Police went to his home address on July 3 after receiving intelligence that indecent images of children had been downloaded at the address.
“They found the accused and his partner at the address and a number of items, including an Acer laptop and a USB device were seized.”
Miss Gillespie said there were a total of 268 videos were found on the equipment, with many of the images being category A, which contains the most serious and graphic sexual activity.
Some of the videos has been described by an analyst as being “extremely graphic.”
Miss Gillespie added: “At the time of the commission of this offence the accused was subject to a supervised release order in relation to his last indecent images conviction and was on the sex offender’s register.”
The images had been created on May 31, just three days after Clark bought the laptop, and on June 29, the court heard.
Clark, 44, formerly of Aboyne Avenue, Dundee, now of HMP Perth, pleaded guilty on indictment that, between May 31 and June 29, 2015, he took or permitted to be taken or made indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.
Defence solicitor-advocate Kris Gilmartin said: “He removed himself from an assessment with the forensic clinical psychologist.
“I’m hoping the court would consider giving him another opportunity to be properly assessed.”
Sheriff George Way said Clark’s downloads were “deeply concerning and abhorrent”.
He said: “Almost as soon as he thought it was safe to do so he was back on the internet.
“There may be an issue here that requires to be dealt with in the long-term future.”
He remitted the case to the High Court for sentence for the consideration of the imposition of an Order for Lifelong Restriction.
Clark was remanded in custody ahead of a further date being set.
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