A man who possessed almost 25,000 images of child abuse was jailed for 16 months at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Kenneth Stalker, 34, admitted accessing the internet to view the indecent images over a two-year period.
The court heard that a police search discovered that Stalker, of Waterston, Nethercareston, Brechin, had 24,699 images on his computer. Stalker, a petrol station worker, also possessed 131 indecent videos.
Stalker’s solicitor David Sinclair told the court his client had developed an obsession.
He said: “Mr Stalker is a man with no significant offending history but in my discussions with him it’s become clear he’s a man lacking in life. This suggests his obsession and compulsion to acquire these images gives him the thrill his life is lacking. He appreciates these images are despicable.”
Stalker admitted that between June 13 2010 and April 25 last year, at Craigmount Road in Dundee, he possessed indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children.
He further admitted that between June 13 2010 and May 3 last year at Craigmount Road, he took or permitted to be taken indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children.
Sheriff Elizabeth Munro jailed Stalker for 16 months and put him on the sex offenders register for 10 years.