Locations
Falkirk, Stirlingshire, FK2
Description
A PROLIFIC sex offender set up sick private chat rooms to exchange footage with other perverts of him sexually assaulting 10 children - raping one of the youngsters dozens of times.
Benjamin Young preyed on the youngsters during a near two-year campaign of horror abuse.
The 42-year-old cook was finally snared days before Christmas last year after the National Crime Agency discovered he had sent photos to a fellow paedophile in Denmark.
It led to his home being raided and police seizing two mobile phones which stored almost 20,000 indecent images and videos.
The High Court in Glasgow heard yesterday how one child alone had been raped 26 times.
First offender Young - via his KC Ronnie Renucci - pleaded guilty to a total of 32 charges.
These included rape, multiple sexual assault as well as the possession, taking and distribution of indecent images.
A judge told Young he had plumbed “the depths of depravity”.
A full risk assessment was instructed to be carried out which could eventually lead to Young made the subject of an Order for Lifelong Restriction.
The offences occurred between January 2021 and December 2022 mainly in Argyll and Bute.
Prosecutor Kath Harper said: “This case involves extensive and prolonged sexual offending by Young against 10 children - all aged under 13 years - and one adult.”
Young also pleaded guilty yesterday to sexually assaulting a woman while she was sleeping. He further recorded her in a “voyeuristic manner”.
Family of a number of the young victims were at court yesterday to see Young admit his guilt.
Lord Arthurson remanded him in custody and adjourned the case until March 19 next year in Edinburgh.
The judge said there are some case where “words can be inadequate” to describe what was heard.
Lord Arthurson told Young: “Your offending has plumbed the depths of depravity.
“You are plainly a calculating and committed paedophile.
“I think it can be safely said that this is one of the worst types of this sort of case to come before the court.”
Detective Inspector Adrian Ure, National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, Police Scotland added: “Benjamin Young is a sexual predator who manipulated and abused defenceless young children for his own sexual gratification.
“The nature of his offending, which included multiple serious sexual assaults, was truly horrific and through a long and complex investigation we were able to uncover the significant extent of his criminal behaviour, which also expanded across the dark web.
“He was directly responsible for creating and sharing unspeakable content which contributed to the wider demand and process of child sexual abuse across the world.
“Although what Young has done will no doubt have lasting impacts, we hope this conviction will serve as a warning to others who are involved in this kind of criminality.”
Young showed no emotion as he was led handcuffed to the cells.