Ex-councillor jailed for child porn images

AFORMER Scottish councillor now living in Wiltshire has been jailed for 28 months after being caught with a haul of indecent images of children.

Craig Edward, 34, an ex-West Dunbartonshire councillor and former Labour member for Clydebank Central, was sentenced at Dumbarton Sheriff Court.

Edward, who was arrested in September 2022, last month pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to three charges covering a six-year period between March 2016 and September 2022.

He admitted taking or permitting to be taken, or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.

Edward, who has been expelled from Labour, also admitted being in possession of indecent images or pseudoimages between the same dates, and distributing or showing these between September 20 and September 22, 2022.

The files discovered in Edward’s possession included children as young as five and an infant.

Edward, who gave his address as Calne, Wiltshire, was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and had a sexual harm prevention order of five years issued.

There was a shout of “rot in hell” from the public benches as Edward was led to the cells.

Sheriff William Gallacher said: “Although you did not directly abuse the children shown, you helped by creating or sharing this material.

“You contributed to the pain, discomfort and fear experienced by these children.

“Having read the descriptions, they plumb the depths of depravity and abuse, even among all those that I have heard over the years. And you made these available to others.

“You have no past criminal history and put yourself forward to help others. But I’m not obliged to apply much weight to that.”

Edward was in possession of 599 indecent images and 93 videos.

Despite his conviction last month, Edward only resigned last week after coming under pressure from his former Labour colleagues, who were about to call for him to be removed from office.

Edward was also banned from speaking to children and told he is not allowed to own more than one mobile phone, delete his web history or own a device that can permanently erase files.