An Inverness man told police he was “glad” they had raided his home after a tip-off that he was downloading child porn.
Scott Cunningham, 31, admitted to officers on September 24 last year that he had been doing it for a number of years and told them where to find it.
Yesterday, Cunningham, of 39 Milton Crescent, admitted to Sheriff Margaret Neilson, on indictment, that he had downloaded 6,255 indecent still and video images, with more than 1,000 being of the most graphic kind.
The 457 videos recovered from a desk-top, a hard drive and two lap-top computers, lasted a total of three days, 14 hours and 37 minutes.
Fiscal Roderick Urquhart told the court that when officers entered his property “he started shaking and became emotional”.
Cunningham told them: “I’m glad you’ve come. It’s been going on now for a couple of years. I know what this is about. The laptop is upstairs in my bedroom. I can get you it.”
He was detained and taken to Burnett Road Police Station where he told police he had been downloading and watching indecent videos of children since 2010.
Cunningham admitted to downloading indecent images of children using a peer-to-peer software programme.
In total, 6,255 indecent images were recovered that remained accessible by the accused at the date of the police search.
“The images and videos were created between 16 September 2009 and 24 September 2015 and showed predominantly female children, estimated to be aged between four and 14 years.” Mr Urquhart said.
Defence lawyer Alison Foggo told the Sheriff: “He has been seeing a psychiatrist since this came to light and we will be obtaining a report from him.”
Sheriff Neilson deferred sentence for a background report until June 28, allowed bail to continue and placed Cunningham on the Sex Offender’s Register.
