A man who had a hard drive in his bedroom containing more than 1,400 indecent images of children as young as two has appeared in court.
When police turned up at his door and explained why they were there Johannes Hengelaar, 33, told them: “I’m the one.”
Depute fiscal Colin Neilson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “On December 11 2018 police received information that in March 2018 a device using an IP address associated with the locus, his address, was connected to the internet and contained indecent images of children that were available for sharing.”
Officers executed an evidential search warrant at the address on South Mount Street in Aberdeen at 7.25am on December 18.
Hengelaar, whose partner was also present, let officers in.
Mr Neilson said: “The warrant was explained to them. The accused said ‘I’m the one’.
“He provided police with his mobile phone.
“He was cautioned, arrested and taken to Kittybrewster Police Station.
“A search recovered a computer hard drive from the bedroom.
“It was analysed and found to contain 1,403 indecent photographs of children, boys and girls, between two and 15 years of age.”
A total of 339 of the images were category A, the most serious.
A total of 309 photographs were classed as category B, while the remaining 755 were rated category C.
Three images and a video one hour, 25 minutes and 14 seconds long were also found on the mobile.
The images, all category C, were of girls aged between 12 and 14 and were downloaded between July 14 2018 and November 16, while the video was classed as category B and was downloaded on August 29.
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Hengelaar, whose address was given in court papers as South Mount Street, Aberdeen, pled guilty to taking, permitting to be taken or making indecent photos or pseudo-photos of children.
Defence agent Gail Wiggins asked the court to defer sentence while a background report is prepared on her client.
She added: “He’s been very acceptant of his guilt in this matter.”
Sheriff Andrew Miller deferred sentence until August for reports to be prepared.
He also made Hengelaar subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act.
He said: “At the sentencing I will decide how long these requirements will continue to apply to you.”
A Crown motion for forfeiture of the computer hard drive and the Moto mobile phone was also granted by Sheriff Miller.
A spokesman for NSPCC Scotland said: “The production and distribution of images of child abuse is a global criminal industry and the war against it is only just beginning.
“Behind every image accumulated by Hengelaar are real children suffering appalling abuse and his actions have only fuelled the demand for this sickening material to be produced.
“NSPCC Scotland works in schools and in the community to prevent abuse and is campaigning for internet companies to do far more to prevent vile abuse images from appearing online in the first place.”
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