Sutherland man had 170 indecent images of children on laptop

A Sutherland man who admitted possessing indecent images of children involved in sexual activity with adults and animals claimed he didn't "knowingly" download them.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told that police searched 63-year-old Ian Mitchell's home at Haradwaith, Lairg, on July 9, 2020 after receiving intelligence that he may have the graphic stills.

Fiscal depute David Morton told Sheriff Margaret Neilson that he confessed to officers: "There are probably some on my laptop." He added that he had downloaded them from social media and went on: "I never knowingly downloaded anything illegal."

The court was told 170 images were found – all thumbnails – and involved young girls and boys, as young as five years old. A total of 25 were of the most obscene kind.

Sentence was deferred until December 14 on the first offender for a background report. Mitchell was immediately placed on the Sex Offender's Register and his bail was continued.