A Highland man caught with more than an hour-and-a-half of vile videos and indecent images of children has been spared jail.
Cyber crimes investigators found the sick footage following a search of Simon Bishop’s Highland home after intelligence was received by police.
Examination of devices seized at the address also uncovered more than 300 indecent still images of children, of which five were category A, the most severe. Four were category B and the rest category C.
Bishop, 43, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted a single charge of taking, permitting to be taken or making indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children.
At a previous hearing, fiscal depute Alison Young told the court that intelligence received had led to a search of Bishop’s home.
Two devices – an Acer laptop and a gaming laptop – were seized.
Subsequent examination of the computers uncovered a total of 303 indecent still images of children and nine videos.
Laptop searches ‘consistent with content’
Ms Young explained that these were all inaccessible to users of the devices, but information about internet searches performed on them was consistent with the content found.
Solicitor Mhyrin Hill, for Bishop, told the court that her client had a diagnosis of autism and Aspergers and highlighted the potential negative impact of a custodial sentence on Bishop.
There was an audible reaction from the public gallery as Sheriff Gary Aitken rejected this suggestion saying there was no excuse for consumption of content that featured children being brutalised.
He told him: “There’s simply no excuse for offences of this kind whatever your own personal circumstances, you need to stop.
“A custodial sentence would remove your ability to offend for a limited period, it would not necessarily remove your desire to offend.”
He instead placed Bishop on a community payback order with three years of supervision and a requirement to participate in the Moving Forward Making Changes Programme, which tackles sexual offending.
Sexual harm prevention order imposed on Simon Bishop
He also made him the subject of a sexual harm prevention order, which bars him from having unauthorised contact with children.
The order, which will remain in place for five years, will also control his internet access and use by requiring him to use only approved devices, retain all search history and submit to monitoring and inspection, as well as preventing him from accessing third-party apps and social networking sites without prior approval.
Bishop, of Inchbae, Garve will remain on the sex offenders register for five years.
