A man who was handed a life sentence 30 years ago was back behind bars this afternoon after he admitted downloading thousands of child porn images.
Police uncovered almost 4,000 indecent photographs – some graded at the worst possible level – during a raid on William Docherty’s Aberdeen home.
At the city’s sheriff court today, Docherty said he always admitted downloading the pictures, but insisted that he only did it because he was researching and writing a book on indecent images.
He told the court that he achieved no “sexual gratification” from downloading them and tried to get rid of them as soon as possible.
But Sheriff William Summers said he refused to believe the 68-year-old’s excuses – calling them “non-sensical” and “fanciful”.
He handed him a 20 month jail sentence and ordered him to spend a further 20 months on licence.
He was also put on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Last week, the Press and Journal revealed how Docherty has been living just yards away from a primary school in Aberdeen.
Parents said they were horrified that a man with such convictions could be allowed to live so close to young children.
