'Porn addict' sentenced for child abuse images

A self-confessed pornography addict who admitted possessing and distributing child abuse images has been given a community sentence.

Damien Bancroft shared the photographs and videos from addresses in Dundee and Forfar over a four-and-a-half year period.

A court was told that the 36-year-old could not explain why he had distributed the material to others.

Bancroft had already been placed on the sex offenders register.

Depute fiscal Trina Sinclair previously told Forfar Sheriff Court court that police officers, acting on information, found more than 600 still images and 16 videos on two laptops and also on a mobile phone.

Miss Sinclair said Bancroft admitted to police that he was a pornography addict, having started watching adult material at the age of 19.

He accepted that he had downloaded and shared images with others but could not explain why that included indecent images of children.

'Serious matter'

Bancroft admitted taking or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children between 14 May, 2011 and 20 October, 2015.

He further admitted distributing indecent photographs of children or pseudo-photographs - where computer graphics have been used to generate a photograph-like image.

Defence solicitor Brian Bell said: "He knows this is a serious matter and he has taken action to seek immediate assistance.

"He has issues he needs to address."

Sheriff Gregor Murray imposed a three year community payback order with supervision, 225 hours unpaid work, a requirement to take part in a sex offender group work programme and restrictions on his internet use.

He said: "The distribution element is a serious aggravation. The consequences are obvious."