Wick man with indecent images on phone was 'young and stupid'

Police officers who raided a Wick house discovered a mobile phone with indecent images, Wick Sheriff Court heard last week.

It led to the phone's owner, Liam Banks, being charged. The 22-year-old pleaded guilty on indictment and was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

He commented that the offence occurred when he was "young and stupid".

Sheriff Jo Platt was told that his phone revealed 27 files comprising mainly video images of children estimated to be in the eight to 14 age groups, between August 1 and September 3, 2020.

David Barclay said the accused was interviewed under caution on July 11, 2021, during which he confirmed the phone belonged to him.

The fiscal continued: "Banks said it had happened a long time ago when he was 'young and stupid'. He explained that he did not go looking for indecent material but perhaps once or twice he had been on social media group chats and was introduced to it by others. He recalls seeing indecent images and thinks that the software on the phone was automatically saving the images."

Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said that the offence took place over only a couple of dates but stressed she was not seeking to detract from the seriousness of the indictment. She added that Banks was a first offender.

Sheriff Platt, who saw a background report on the accused, said the offence was a serious matter but he did not think that a custodial sentence was appropriate.

The sheriff said he took into account that the images were not at the most serious level and continued: "How these came to be found on your mobile phone is a matter of conjecture."

Banks, of Kinnaird Street, Wick, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.

His mobile phone was ordered to be forfeit.