Latest Offenders

Description

A man from Burnley has been jailed for breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

In 2019 Eamon Brewster was made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

As part of the conditions of his SHPO, Brewster was required to register any new devices with police within three days of purchase.

In August this year, officers attended Brewster’s home address to carry out a home compliance visit. During this visit they discovered a new laptop belonging to Brewster which he had not made them aware of.

Following enquiries, it was established that the laptop had been used for the last few weeks. As a result, Brewster was arrested for breaching his SHPO.

Brewster, 70, formerly of Parker Lane, Burnley appeared at Preston Crown Court for sentence on Saturday 15th August having pleaded guilty to one count of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. 

He was jailed for a year.

PC Anthony Hogan of the Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders team at East Division said:

“Brewster breached his Sexual Harm Prevention Order by purchasing and using a new laptop without notifying police.

“He disregarded the order imposed on him by the court but was caught out by our team making unannounced visits to monitor his behaviour.

“I welcome the prison sentence handed out, it shows that breaching orders put in place by the court will not be tolerated.”

Description

Sex offender jailed after failing to declare internet devices

A registered sex offender has been sent back to prison after failing to tell police he had internet-enabled devices, in breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Rafikul Ashrafi, 35, admitted three counts of breaching the order at Crewe Magistrates’ Court. He was jailed for 12 months.

The SHPO was imposed at Manchester Crown Court in August 2025 and is intended to restrict his ability to commit further sexual offences. Such orders allow specialist officers to monitor offenders through measures including home visits and checks on electronic devices.

Ashrafi committed the breaches on 30 July 2026 while living in Warrington. He failed to notify police that he possessed an iPhone, a Samsung mobile phone and a Lenovo Legion computer. Possession of those devices is lawful for the general public, but not declaring them was prohibited under the terms of his order.

Magistrates took his guilty plea into account but said the offences were so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified. They said the case was aggravated by his previous convictions for similar offences, and by the fact that he was subject to licence conditions and a court order at the time. The court also noted that the breaches were committed “so soon” after his previous release from custody.

Ashrafi, formerly of Bewsey Street, Warrington, and now of HMP Altcourse, was not ordered to pay court costs. He must pay a £187 victim surcharge. The SHPO remains in force.

Description

A man from Gloucester who sexually abused two girls has been sentenced to six years in prison.

Michael Joynes, aged 69 and from Brockworth, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court for sentencing this morning (Friday 21 August).

As well as being jailed, Joynes was issued with a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and restraining orders preventing him from contacting the two victims.

The judge heard how Joynes had repeatedly sexually abused two girls under the age of 13 between 2017 and 2019.

Several years later the survivors bravely came forward and told friends and relatives about Joynes' actions before making a police report.

An investigation was launched by Gloucestershire Constabulary's Public Protection Unit and the Crown Prosecution Service later authorised eight charges of sexual assault of a child under 13, contrary to section 7(1) of the sexual offences act 2003.

Joynes pleaded not guilty to all charges against him and the case went to trial. 

A jury later found Joynes guilty of six of the sexual assault counts, not guilty of one of the counts and were unable to reach a decision on another count.

Acting Detective Inspector Jennifer Adams said:

"I would like to thank the victims for their bravery, courage and strength in reporting this to us and providing such clear accounts of what had happened.

"I know the sentence given today won’t take away the horrific memories they now carry; however, I hope it does allow them to move on from the horrible crimes that Joynes subjected them to."

Description

A former teacher has been jailed for engaging in sexual activity with a teenage boy.

Emily Drury, 26, of Tuplin Road, Mablethorpe, appeared at Lincoln Crown Court today, Friday 21 August, charged with five offences of sexual activity with a teenage boy.

She pleaded guilty to the charge of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a teenage boy, and four charges of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a teenage boy.

She was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. She must serve at least half of the sentence before being considered for released. She was also given a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order to last five years,  and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life*.

The court heard how Drury had engaged in sexual behaviour with the minor on numerous occasions whilst acting as a private tutor between May and June 2025. She had offered to tutor the boy after lower-than-expected mock exam results, to help him pass his GCSE exams.

In a statement read out in court, the victim said:

"She was kind to me. She would say positive things to me, buy me clothes, she would talk to me and made me feel better about myself. I trusted her and confided in her about some very personal things.”

He went on to describe how he felt after the allegations had been made, he said:

“I felt judged. I felt that people blamed me. I felt unable to simply be a child. I worried that people would not take me seriously because I am a boy. I believed there was a stigma attached to being a male victim of sexual abuse, and that fear made it even harder to cope.”

The victim initially had concerns about how his allegation would be perceived because he was a teenage boy, and the offender was an adult woman - in a position of trust and authority. We reassured him that gender is never a factor in how reports of sexual abuse are investigated and that he would be treated with the same care, sensitivity, and support as any other victim. Throughout the investigation, we worked closely with him to help him understand the criminal justice process and ensure he felt supported every step of the way.

The offender prolonged what was already an extremely difficult experience by delaying her guilty plea until the very last opportunity. As a result, the victim spent many months living with uncertainty about the outcome of the case. Despite these challenges, he showed remarkable courage and resilience. His willingness to come forward and remain engaged throughout the investigation has been instrumental in bringing the offender to justice.

The officer leading this case from East Lindsey’s Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, Detective Constable Julie Jode, said:

Drury abused her position of trust and exploited the access she had to a vulnerable young person for her own purposes. As an adult in a position of authority, she was expected to provide guidance, support, and protection. Instead, she used that position to target and manipulate someone who should have been able to trust her implicitly.

Offences of this nature can have a profound and lasting impact on victims, particularly when they involve a significant imbalance of power and an abuse of trust. The victim in this case was forced to navigate an incredibly difficult and challenging period of his life while also facing the uncertainty of a lengthy criminal justice process. The fact that the offender delayed accepting responsibility only added to that ordeal.

Throughout the investigation, the victim showed exceptional courage, dignity, and resilience. He came forward despite concerns about how he might be perceived and remained committed to seeing the process through. His bravery has been instrumental in securing this outcome and ensuring the offender has been held accountable for her despicable actions.

Description

A man who arranged to meet a child for sex has been jailed – after he was caught by officers online.

David Horne, 57, has been handed a lengthy prison sentence after he arranged to meet a 14-year-old girl he had been speaking to online.

However, he was actually speaking to an officer from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) conducting an investigation alongside the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) with the support of Durham Constabulary.

Following his arrest on March 9, he was subsequently charged with a number of sexual offences including, attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempt to cause a child to look at an image of sexual activity, attempt to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

On Wednesday (August 19) he appeared at Teesside Crown Court for sentencing having pleaded guilty to all charges on May 21.

Horne was sentenced to a total of nine years imprisonment.

Speaking after the sentencing, NEROCU Detective Constable Georgina Lewis, said:

“This has been a complex investigation which has thankfully helped secured a great outcome at court.

“Horne is behind bars for a substantial amount of time where he will no longer be a danger to children.
“I want to thank our partners in ERSOU and Durham Constabulary who supported us in this investigation – another strong display of the power of partnership working.

“Under Operational Sentinel, we will continue to work with our partners to tackle online child abuse and sexual exploitation and would urge anyone who has been a victim of this type of offending, or has concerns about someone’s behaviour, to come forward and talk to police.”

Description

Alexander Storey, 47, jailed after police find over 1.5 million child abuse images on his computer.

A convicted sex offender who previously served a life sentence for attempting to rape a teenage girl has been jailed after police uncovered more than a million images and videos of child abuse material on his computer.

Alexander Storey, 47, of HMP Channings Wood, was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court after officers discovered a vast collection of indecent images of children.

Prosecutor Keeley Harvey told the court that police received information that someone at Storey’s Southampton address had been accessing child abuse material online. Officers attended the property on 7 March 2025 and seized several electronic devices, including a computer tower built by Storey.

Storey initially made no comment in interview. Two days later he admitted the computer contained the images. He told officers he “wanted to test his boundaries by looking at indecent images to see if he would be aroused by them” and that he “had been physically aroused but not emotionally so.”

He pleaded guilty to making 310 Category A images, 338 Category B images and 2,435 Category C images of children. Category A images are the most serious. Investigators also found a further 1,542,256 images and 1,085,573 videos that had not been categorised due to the volume of material recovered.

The court heard that Storey has a long history of sexual offending, including the attempted rape of a 15-year-old girl whom he followed onto a secluded footpath. He received a life sentence for that offence and served 18 years in prison before his release in 2022.

Defence barrister David Storry said Storey had made full admissions and cooperated with the investigation. He asked the court to note that the offences were non-contact and that Storey had never attempted to communicate with a child.

Judge William Mousley KC sentenced Storey to two years’ imprisonment with an extended licence period of three years. The computer used in the offences was ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

Description

The incredible bravery of a vulnerable girl disclosing a horrific incident has resulted in a man being handed a custodial sentence for rape of a child.

Following a missing from home episode, the girl, who was aged 12 at the time, was found in the company of then 28-year-old Adam Batley.

Batley was promptly arrested and an investigation launched.

The victim made some initial disclosers to her social workers of the abuse Batley subjected her to, and this was promptly reported to the BSAFE, a dedicated child sexual exploitation team in Barnsley. The victim later courageously disclosed to officers how Batley had plied her with drugs and raped her while she was semi-conscious under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Batley was re-arrested and interviewed, but failed to admit the horrific actions, answering 'no comment' in his police interview. Batley further showed no remorse and pled not guilty in one of his first court appearances, meaning the girl had to go through an upsetting court trial.

Detective Constable Alessio Godhard, who was the officer in charge of the case said:

"No words can explain just how brave the girl was during this whole process, from her initial disclosure, through to the sentencing at court.

"Batley preyed on her vulnerabilities and used this to gain personal satisfaction.

"The girl in this case will continue to be supported by the BSAFE team and colleagues from social care.

"We take any report of sexual abuse seriously - you will be believed and listened to. Please report it to us so we can investigate and get these dangerous offenders behind bars."

Batley, 30, from Barnsley, was found guilty of one count of rape of a girl under the age of 13 on 31 July, following a seven day trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

He appeared at the same court today (19 August) and was handed a nine year custodial sentence and an indefinite Restraining Order.

Description

Ian Moffat, 63, from York has been sentenced at York Crown Court to 22 years and eight months on 20 August 2026 for raping and sexually assaulting a girl during the last decade, and possessing 149 indecent images of children.

Moffat has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and issued with a sexual harm prevention order until further order. The court also ordered the destruction of a computer tower.

The abuse was disclosed to North Yorkshire Police in December 2023 and an investigation commenced.

After his initial arrest in December 2023, his digital devices were seized as part of the investigation and examined by our Digital Forensics Unit. It was discovered that his desktop computer contained 149 indecent images of children. Moffat was then further arrested for possession of indecent images of children.

Moffat has been remanded in custody until his sentencing.

The offences he was charged with which Moffat pleaded not guilty to on 1 September 2025, but was found guilty of on 9 July 2026 at York Crown Court after a one-day trial:

• Two counts of sexually assaulting a girl
• Six counts of raping a girl

The offences Moffat pleaded guilty to on 1 September 2025:

• Making 21 Category A indecent photographs of children
• Making 18 Category B indecent photographs of children
• Making 110 Category C indecent photographs of children

Detective Constable James Stewart, from North Yorkshire Police's Safeguarding Investigation Team said:

"During each interview, Moffat only replied with no comment and by pleading not guilty shows his lack of acceptance of any responsibility for the horrendous sexual abuse he subjected his victim to for a number of years.

"I praise the victim for having the courage to report the abuse she endured, and commend her bravery for seeing through the investigation. I hope justice being served to Moffat helps the victim with some form of closure, to help her to proceed with her life the best she can.

"I also hope this helps other victims find the bravery to report to police, please know that it doesn't matter when the abuse took place, you will be listened to."

Description

A man who was found with more than 87,000 indecent images of children on his devices in Bradford has been jailed.

Richard Pooley, aged 60, of North Dean Avenue, was convicted of a number of offences including three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child, possession of a prohibited image of a child, possession of an extreme pornographic image with an animal, observing a person doing a private act and operating equipment beneath clothing of another without consent.  

Today (20 August), he was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court to three years and 10 months imprisonment. He was also made a lifetime registered sex offender and was given a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Police received intelligence in October 2024 that indecent images had been uploaded onto the internet.  

Enquiries from the Online Child Abuse Investigation team identified Pooley. He was arrested and all his devices were seized.  

After an examination of those devices, officers found more than 87,000 images and videos including images and videos that the defendant had obtained from using various ‘spy cameras’ to secretly film children.

PC William Metcalf from the Bradford Districts Online Child Abuse Investigation Team said:

“This is one of the worst cases of indecent images of children I have ever seen in my career. 

“Pooley is a dangerous online sexual predator who had the most disturbing child abuse material in his possession.  

“In every picture there is a victim of child abuse. We are committed as a force to protect victims of child abuse and will do everything we can to get justice for them.”  

Description

The victim-survivor of a man who took and then sold non-consensual intimate pictures of her on OnlyFans has described the ‘constant and exhausting anxiety’ of his offending.  

Thirty-seven-year-old Alex Tang’s sneaky offending was brought to light by the woman herself who built up a trove of evidence to bring to police’s attention.   

Initially, the victim-survivor was contacted by several men claiming to have spoken with her on social media and dating apps. She found the profiles were using images of her taken without her permission or knowledge.  

Alarmingly, in some of the images she was either partially clothed or fully naked. 

This caused the victim-survivor to come to the horrifying realisation that the images had been captured using hidden cameras set-up by Tang.  

Further exploration by the woman matched several of these pictures to images posted across various websites, including the website OnlyFans.  

The victim-survivor then reported the discoveries to Northumbria Police, and Police Constable Alex Pattinson was assigned the case. 

Working closely with the team at OnlyFans, PC Pattinson built up a case file of evidence collecting all images of the victim-survivor and ensuring they were removed from the site.  

Financial data secured by the PC connected Tang to the account and proved that he had sold these non-consensual images for money which was being paid straight into his bank account.  

In an attempt to verify and legitimise the OnlyFans account, Tang had also managed to take a photo of the woman’s ID to upload. 

In total, 47 images and four videos were uploaded to the site which Tang had been profiting from.  

Upon arrest, Tang had several of his devices seized however repeatedly attempted to confound the investigation by withholding the passwords to these. 

He also continually denied any wrongdoing when he was being interviewed by officers. 

However, in July, he pleaded guilty to one count of voyeurism at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court after being charged last December.  

And on Monday, August 11, Tang, now of Richardson Gardens, Shiremoor, but originally from the Loughbrough area, returned to the same court where he was given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for two years. 

During the course of the investigation, the woman was supported by Rape Crisis, a North East-based support service, and an Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) – who provided counselling services, and then more practical guidance ahead of court proceedings.  

She described the support she received from these services as ‘very supportive’ and has encouraged anyone else going through the same type of experience to utilise these to their fullest. 

At Tang’s sentencing hearing, in a Victim Personal Statement (VPS) which the victim-survivor read before the court, she said: 

“The passage of time has not allowed me to move on. This has affected my mental health significantly. I have spent months working with a Rape Crisis therapist and have relied on counselling and support from my GP to help me cope with the anxiety, stress, nightmares and lack of sleep.  

“Before this experience, I never truly understood why some victims of abuse withdraw from investigations or decide not to continue. I understand now. 

“The process requires you to relive the abuse repeatedly. You are forced to revisit traumatic memories, review images and videos, and repeatedly tell your story. It is emotionally exhausting.” 

However, her message to other victim-survivors going through any similar investigation would be to ‘just don’t give up’. 

She added: “There have been times when it would have been easier to walk away. The reason I did not is because I could not bear the thought of someone else experiencing what I have been through.” 

Talking about the lasting effect of Tang’s offending, she continued: “Tang’s actions have fundamentally changed how I live, how I trust people, and how safe I feel in everyday life. 

“Although his guilty plea brought some relief and spared me the ordeal of a trial, it does not undo the harm that has been caused.  

“Although these proceedings are reaching their conclusion, I will never have the certainty of knowing the full extent of what was recorded, shared or stored. The impact of that loss of that privacy and security will stay with me long after this court case has finished.” 

In conclusion to her statement, she said: “I cannot get the images, the videos, or the degrading captions and comments associated with them out of my mind. Knowing that intimate images and videos of me were uploaded to dozens of websites, reposted and shared by strangers, is something I struggle with every day.” 

As part of his sentence, Tang was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years. He was also handed a ten-year restraining order to further protect the victim-survivor once he is released from custody.  

He also must serve 300 hours of community service and was given a 35-day rehabilitation order – during which he will be supervised by the Probation Service.  

Speaking on Tang’s sentencing, PC Pattinson said:

“I am horrified by Alexander Tang’s crime which is a clear violation of this woman’s expectation of privacy. 

“No-one should ever experience what this woman has gone through – and to then learn Tang was then profiting from his deceitful offending must have been devastating. 

“The victim-survivor has shown such courage and commitment in coming forward and reporting this behaviour to police – but the evidence she discovered against him meant Tang had little choice but to plead guilty.” 

PC Pattinson added: “Now, everyone knows that Tang is a sex offender – and the court-imposed orders mean he’ll be monitored closely by police for some time. 

“We won’t tolerate this type of offending, and we’d urge anyone who has been through anything similar to get in touch, so we can take action.” 

Description

A paedophile who incited a young girl to engage in sexual activity has been jailed.

Anthony Woodberry, 67, of Harvey Street, Eynesbury, St Neots, abused the child during one afternoon in 2023.

After the offence, Woodberry told the girl not to tell anyone what had happened. However, later that day she disclosed the abuse to her parents, who contacted police.

Woodberry was arrested the following morning and officers seized electronic devices from his home. Examination of his phone uncovered extreme pornography.

During the investigation, Woodberry admitted possessing the extreme pornography but claimed he did not realise it was illegal and said he was "just curious".

Following a trial at Peterborough Crown Court in June, he was found guilty of causing or inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity without penetration.

At Peterborough Crown Court on Friday (14 August), Woodberry was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

Detective Constable Alice Tasker said:

"Woodberry exploited and abused a young child in what was a deeply distressing offence.

"The victim showed great courage in speaking out about what had happened, and I would like to commend her bravery throughout the investigation and court process. Her actions ensured Woodberry was held accountable for his crimes.

"Child sexual abuse can have a lifelong impact on victims. We take all reports extremely seriously and will do everything we can to safeguard children, support victims and bring offenders to justice.”

Description

A teenager from the Redcar and Cleveland area, has been sentenced for raping two girls in 2023 and 2024.

The crimes were first reported to police in April 2024 and investigated by detectives before Sam Brewster, who was a juvenile when the offences took place, was charged and later convicted of numerous offences during a trial in August 2025.

However, Brewster launched an appeal against these convictions, which was heard before Teesside Crown Court in March 2026.

During the appeal, the girls had to go through the trauma of providing evidence to the court all over again, with two rapes upheld by the court.

Today, Wednesday 19 August, a year after he was first convicted, Brewster, now 18, was finally sentenced to three years in prison for his crimes.

Detective Constable Jack McPhillips said:

“Both of the victims in this case were extremely brave in coming forward and giving evidence. They had the trauma of having to go through this difficult process twice over in court, in addition to multiple last-minute adjournments and having to relive their nightmare again and again.

“This has caused great distress in the girls’ lives and massively disrupted their education. I hope today’s sentence will bring some closure for the girls, so that they can now begin to rebuild their lives.

“I would like to thank the support workers from Arch Teesside who were incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the investigation and subsequent trials.”

Description

A 21-year-old Newhaven man has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison for multiple child sex offences.

At Lewes Crown Court on Monday (17 August), Samuel Carragher, of Acacia Road, pleaded guilty to 33 counts .

They included causing or inciting a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity, causing or inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity, paying for sexual services of a child, sexual communication with a child, threaten to share a photograph or film of a person in an intimate state, threatening to share intimate photographs or film, causing a child to watch a sexual act, sending a photograph or film of genitals, distributing indecent photographs of a child and making indecent photographs of children.

Carragher’s crimes took place between 2022 and 2025 and involved 14 girls aged between 12 and 15.

An investigation was launched in June 2025, after Sussex Police were alerted to suspicious online activity. He was arrested on 26 June 2025, and a number of devices were seized from his address.

These revealed a myriad of online child sexual exploitation against numerous young girls around the country.  Many of the offences involved instructing and inciting the children to engage in sexual acts, and offering payment for the images.  Carragher then distributed these images to other children and to other adult men.

Carragher was sentenced to 10 years and six months in custody, plus a three-year extended licence period.

Detective Constable Ana Wellfare, from the Online Child Abuse Team, said:

“Carragher’s actions were appalling and involved a large number of children. The impact his behaviour had on his young victims cannot be underestimated.

“Such crimes cause lasting harm and have no place in our society.

“Carragher will now spend a significant period behind bars, where he can no longer pose any threat to children or the wider public.

“We take all reports of abuse extremely seriously. If you believe you may be a victim, or know someone who might be, please come forward. We will listen, and we will support you.”

Description

Clive Siddall jailed more than 40 years after raping and sexually abusing two young girls

A survivor of sexual abuse has spoken out after her abuser was jailed more than four decades later. In the early 1980s, Clive Siddall (born 03/05/1945), formerly of Oxted, raped one young girl and sexually abused another. Both victims knew him and long believed he would never face justice. He has now been imprisoned for those crimes.

In their victim impact statements, the women described the lasting harm. One said: “I had my life mapped out. I dreamt of joining the RAF and becoming a nurse.” She never returned to school after the abuse. “I was no longer able to concentrate and learning seemed pointless, as my future felt destroyed.” She added that the abuse left her life lacking “purpose, direction, and control.”

The other stated: “The feeling of having nobody to turn to or rely on has pushed me into making reckless decisions in my life.” Both struggled with mental health and turned to alcohol and drugs to cope. They described lasting difficulties forming relationships. One said: “I’m not sure I know what love is” and “I have built walls around me to protect myself from being hurt, but these walls also mean that nobody can get in.”

Both carried guilt into adulthood, fearing they had failed to stop Siddall from abusing others and blaming themselves for years.

In 2022, one victim disclosed the abuse to a medical professional, who reported it to police. Siddall denied the allegations when interviewed, responding “not true” and “no way.” He was charged in April 2024 with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault on a girl under 16, and four counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14.

A jury at Kingston Crown Court found him guilty of all six offences after a trial in March. On 14 July at Guildford Crown Court, Siddall was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment: 10 years for rape and two years for indecent assault (consecutive), plus a concurrent total of three years and three months for the remaining four indecent assault counts.

Investigating officer DC Fiona Clare said:

“Clive Siddall was in a position of trust in his victims’ lives, and he exploited this in the worst possible way. It is possible that he will now spend the remainder of his life in prison.

“Although this will not give the two survivors back the years of trauma they’ve lived through, I hope it brings them some relief to know that he is no longer able to hurt them or anyone else.

“Their courage is the reason Siddall is behind bars, and I hope that they can use this result as the starting point for the rest of their lives.”

If you have been a victim of sexual offences, it is never too late to report. Advice, information and a confidential online reporting form are available on our website. Every report is taken seriously.

Description

Mark Whitton jailed for 40 months over vast child abuse material haul

Mark Whitton, a 56-year-old from Land Street in Elgin, Moray, has been sentenced to 40 months in prison after police found more than 40,000 indecent images of children and over 12 days’ worth of child abuse videos at his home.

Whitton appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court on Tuesday 18 August, where Sheriff Ian Cruickshank imposed the sentence (discounted for a guilty plea and backdated to July). He was also made subject to a seven-year sexual harm prevention order restricting his internet access and contact with children, and will remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Officers executed a search warrant at his address in October 2025. Whitton told them: “everything is over for me.” He admitted having three hard drives containing images of children. In total, investigators recovered 41,077 images of child sexual abuse and 2,316 videos whose combined runtime exceeded 302 hours (more than 12 days). Material included infants as young as one year old.

A further 418 images and 985 videos of extreme pornography were found, with a total runtime of more than 511 hours (over 21 days). Much of this material depicted bestiality.

Fiscal depute Emily Hood told the court that a laptop belonging to Whitton contained 152 inaccessible images, including AI-generated pictures of boys and girls aged between one and 14. The images showed children engaged in sexual activity with adults and other children, graded as 24 Category A (the most serious), 23 Category B and 105 Category C.

Analysis of the hard drives revealed thousands more images and videos across Categories A, B and C, including accessible and inaccessible files of children aged from three to 14. One hard drive alone held more than 16,000 inaccessible images and hundreds of videos of child abuse, plus extreme pornography involving animals. Another contained nearly 1,000 accessible videos of children “engaging in sexual posing,” while a third held over 19,000 accessible images and more than 1,000 videos of child sexual abuse material, again alongside bestiality content. Ms Hood described some of the extreme material as “of women engaging activity with animals, mostly dogs.”

Whitton is now listed on our sex offenders database.