A Dundee student found with more than 700 indecent images and 18 videos of children on his computer told police searching his house: “I have an illness.”
Gavin Hale, 32, of Dryburgh Gardens, also apologised to his mother and admitted his guilt to her before being led away by police.
He later told officers he liked children aged 14-15 but knew it was “wrong and illegal” while admitting he looked at images of much younger children but he did not like these as much, the court was told.
Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson told the court police went to his house at 9.35am on July 16 after receiving a tip-off that he was in possession of indecent images.
“The accused and his partner were there and, as they searched the house, the accused told a police officer: ‘You will find stuff on my computer, I have an illness’.”
His mother asked if he had done it and he replied that he had, Ms Robertson told the court.
He later told police: “I can’t lie about it.”
Ms Robertson said 725 indecent images and 18 videos were found, adding up to six hours, 44 minutes and nine seconds of viewing.
The children seen in the images were aged between three and 15 years and software on the computer showed the accused had searched for indecent images of children and used file-sharing sites.
Solicitor David Duncan told the court the case was slightly unusual in that normally there was some denial, even in a guilty plea.
“Not with him, he has been very candid about that and he is desperate for help,” Mr Duncan said.
“He has sought help independently already,” he added.
Sheriff Elizabeth Munro deferred sentence until March 30 for social work and Tay Project reports and placed Hale on the sex offenders register in the interim.