A man from Edinburgh, Stuart McDonald, who was discovered to possess thousands of images of child abuse, is scheduled to be relocated from his residence that overlooks one of the city’s primary schools.
Stuart McDonald spent four years collecting the vile material, with hundreds of the 17,000 images he was caught with at the “most serious level.”
The 46-year-old was spared prison time when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, he is at risk of being relocated from his residence near Leith Primary School.
He had previously entered a plea of guilty to a charge of possessing indecent photos or pseudo-photos of minors. Between January 23, 2016, and August 4, 2020, he accessed thousands of degrading images.
According to Sheriff Alistair Noble, authorities are considering relocating McDonald’s residence because his current address is near a school, despite there being no indication of any potential risk of contact offences.
The sheriff stated that McDonald was a first-time offender, but he also noted that this was not an uncommon occurrence for individuals who were convicted of this specific offence.
He further stated, “It is acknowledged that the offences are severe.” They were committed over more than four years, and over 17,000 images were viewed.
McDonald was sentenced to three years of supervision after being previously listed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.
While a change of address is being considered, he must reside in an accommodation approved by his supervisor.
Additionally, he is prohibited from deleting his browser history or employing programs to conceal his online activities, and he is required to inform his administrators of any internet-enabled devices he possesses.
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