Former soldier spared jail over child abuse images

An ex-soldier who downloaded a stash of child abuse images at his army base then threatened to kill police who seized his computer equipment has been spared jail.

Fraser Waddell – who served as a private in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards – was arrested after police raided his room at the Leuchars Station base in north-east Fife.

Waddell was spared prison yesterday over the indecent image haul – instead being given a community payback order and placed on the sex offenders register.

Dundee Sheriff Court was told some of the images found were at the top end of the scale used to measure such pictures.

Waddell, 21, of Macmillan Street, Larkhall, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of taking or making indecent images of children on May 24 last year.

He was on two separate bail orders at the time.

His not guilty plea to possessing extreme porn images was accepted by prosecutors.

Defence solicitor Paul Parker Smith said: “He left the army on June 2 2017.

“He has been frank with social workers and has been open and honest about his sexual tendencies and habits.”

Sheriff Alastair Brown imposed a community payback order with 150 hours unpaid work, two years supervision and conduct requirements around his use of the internet.

Waddell was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

Sheriff Brown said: “Every one of these images represents the real abuse of a real child and by providing an audience, you encourage such conduct.”