A man is facing jail after being caught with thousands of indecent images of children.
Darren Sleigh was told by a sheriff that he will face a prison sentence after pleading guilty to the sickening offences.
The 39-year-old admitted three charges when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court via a video link from HMP Grampian, where he has been remanded.
He admitted taking, permitting to be taken or making indecent images or pseudo-images of children between December 19 2011 and April 25 2017.
Sleigh also admitted possessing “extreme pornographic images” between December 19 2011 and March 20 2017.
And Sleigh further admitted a charge of failing to appear at court on a previous occasion.
Defence agent Debbie Ginniver asked for her client to be granted bail pending the preparation of a background report.
She argued he had no previous convictions and had only been remanded after he failed to appear previously.
‘There’s going to be a prison sentence here’
The solicitor added that Sleigh had been “struggling” in the custodial environment.
However Sheriff Graham Buchanan refused the application, stating that due to the “large number” of images a custodial sentence was inevitable.
He said: “There’s no point releasing him on bail today, only to send him to prison when he comes back for sentencing.”
The sheriff said the case involved 7,571 live pictures files and 145 live video files featuring children involved in sexual activity.
He added: “There’s going to be a prison sentence here. It’s better if he stays where he is.”
Sheriff Buchanan deferred sentence on Sleigh, of HMP Grampian, until July for reports and a risk assessment and made him subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act.