A “socially isolated” man caught with indecent videos of children, including a baby, has avoided a prison sentence.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that Euan Davidson, 40, has learning difficulties and is at “low risk of re-offending”.
Previously, the court heard that during October 2019 Police Scotland received intelligence that on October 3 2018, a Facebook user had uploaded a Category A indecent image of a child.
Several weeks later, on October 29, police obtained a search warrant for Davidson’s Keith home.
Examination of his mobile telephone uncovered six Category A, B and C indecent images of children aged between four and 14.
Defence solicitor Matthew O’Neill said people Davidson regarded as friends “engaged in behaviour which he would not normally do”.
“The images were sent to him and he did not seek them out,” Mr O’Neill added.
His plea not to jail his client was heeded by Sheriff Sara Matheson, who placed Davidson on a 30-month community payback order with supervision for the same period. He was also placed on the sex offender’s register for a similar time.
In addition, Davidson, who admitted possessing the images, was told to carry out 210 hours of unpaid work.
Sheriff Matheson told him: “The reason I am not sending you to prison is because of the ow number of images, your low IQ and there is a low risk of you re-offending.
“But you will require supervision to keep you safe.”
