In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Kyle McKinnon, 22, of Meadowbank Road, Burravoe, Yell, Shetland, had been warned he faces a “serious” prison sentence after admitting to amassing a “vile” collection of child abuse material. McKinnon appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court following a police investigation triggered by intelligence regarding his activities in numerous online chat groups.
The Police Scotland investigation culminated in a search warrant executed on 17 April 2024. During the search, McKinnon handed over an iPhone that contained a “horrendous” library of material. Forensic experts recovered 248 still images and 101 videos, totalling over 4 hours of runtime. The prosecution emphasised that the victims depicted were as young as 12 to 18 months old, with videos featuring children as young as four years of age.
Forensic Breakdown of Material
The court heard a detailed breakdown of the “depraved” material found on the device. Of the still images, 34 were classified as Category A—the most severe and “vicious” level of abuse. A further 99 were in Category B and 115 in Category C. The video collection was equally “serious,” containing 36 Category A, 36 Category B, and 29 Category C videos.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie reported that many of these files had been deleted or made inaccessible, but were successfully recovered by digital forensic teams. He emphasised that McKinnon’s active participation in multiple chat groups indicated a “fairly high predilection” for this “vile” material.
Deferred Sentencing and Monitoring
Sheriff Philip Mann emphasised that these were “very serious offences” that could “easily lead to a custodial sentence.” McKinnon, who “dishonestly” claimed to police that he was “addicted to pornography,” has had his sentencing deferred until 11 February 2026, pending the preparation of background social work reports.
As a result of his guilty pleas to possessing and taking indecent images of children, Kyle McKinnon will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register. He will be managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Police Scotland, ensuring his digital behaviour and activities in Burravoe, Yell, and the wider Shetland area are strictly monitored. Any attempt to access prohibited material or engage with “vile” online groups in the future will result in immediate arrest.
A local source said, “It is worrying that he lives so close to a primary school and has been seen mixing with much younger children; hopefully, that gets sorted.”
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