The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Sex offender who had more than 1,000 child images is spared jail
SUPERVISION: Man ordered to sign on to register for three years
A sex offender whose ex-wife was arrested after he downloaded images of child and animal abuse on a shared laptop has been spared jail.
Charles Aitkenhead was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work and told to take part in a rehabilitation programme after admitting to having almost 1,050 indecent images of children on a laptop he had access to at his old house, which he previously shared with his former partner at an address in St Andrews.
The 58-year-old was also placed on a supervision order and instructed to sign the sex offenders register for three years.
Aitkenhead, of Innerbridge Street, Guardbridge, pleaded guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court in June to downloading and possessing indecent images of children between January 2012 and September 2016.
He further admitted to accessing extreme pornography at the address in St Andrews between December 2012 and September 2016.
The first-time offender used a shared laptop to Google almost 1,050 images, 349 of them regarded as the most serious category A type.
Aitkenhead’s estranged wife was arrested following a tip-off images had been viewed on their shared Macbook.
The pair had separated in 2007 but remained on good terms, with Aitkenhead having unlimited access to the laptop and being allowed to visit the house whenever he needed.
Sentencing Aitkenhead, Sheriff Lorna Drummond said: “You have pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, which I am taking into account.
“I also take into account the number of images and that the majority of the images downloaded were of category C.
“It is quite clear to me you are someone who has never come to the attention of the court before and I have been made aware of your actions and steps you have taken to address this issue.
“I also can see from submitted letters that you are a committed family man.”
Aitkenhead was also barred from making contact with children under the age of 16 without supervision.
Sheriff Drummond warned him if he failed to comply with his sentencing, he could be sent to jail.
It is quite clear to me you are someone who has never come to the attention of the court before