December 2019

Kilmarnock man on sex offenders’ register after hundreds of child sex abuse images found on phone

A Kilmarnock man who was found in possession of hundreds of child sex abuse images has been placed on the sex offenders’ register.

Graeme Goodwin, 27, was arrested by police following a search which revealed hundreds of indecent images on his phone.

A total of 186 indecent images of children were found on the device.

Thirty-one of which were category A (the most severe kind), 33 were category B and 122 were category C.

A number of videos were also recovered from the device, seven of which were category A and one of which was category C.

The fiscal depute told Kilmarnock Sheriff Court: “These images and movies had been downloaded on to the phone between August 2, 2018 and the day of the search warrant.”

Goodwin, a former delivery driver, returned home on April 12 to find police executing a search warrant.

The prosecutor added: “The accused was not present at the time but returned shortly after when he returned to the house.

“He is in possession of his mobile phone which was subject to initial analysis.

“There were indecent images of children on the device. The accused was thereafter arrested and interviewed. During the course of that interview, the accused was fairly frank with police officers and made a number of admissions.”

Goodwin, of Balfour Court, Kilmarnock later pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images of children and permitting the images to be taken by downloading them to his phone.

Goodwin’s defending agent told the court: “He has no prior convictions and no outstanding matters.

“He had been employed until this matter came to light. His employer tried to keep him on but it proved difficult.”

Sheriff Alastair Watson deferred sentencing for background reports to be obtained.

He told Goodwin: “I will have to advise you that given the nature of the matters you have plead guilty to, you will be subject to the notification requirements of the sex offenders’ register.”

Goodwin will be sentenced next month.

November 2019

Pervert abused girl

A man has been jailed for sex offences against a 14 year-old child at a property in Ayr.

Vile Glen Bell had unlawful sex with the young girl after inducing her to remove her clothes.

Bell carried out the sickening attacks between September 10 1995 and March 31 1996, both dates inclusive, and from April 1 1996 and September 9 1996, again both dates inclusive.

The indictment alleged that Bell used lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards the girl, by exposing himself, lying on top of her, touching her intimately and kissing her.

But Bell, aged 62, of Kincraig Court, Maybole, denied any wrongdoing, forcing his victim to take the stand against him in court.

Bell was found guilty by a majority verdict, after a sheriff and jury trial and sentence was deferred for background reports.

He appeared for sentencing at Ayr Sheriff Court on Tuesday, November 19.

The court was presented with an impact statement on behalf of Bell’s victim.

Sheriff Desmond Leslie told Bell: “You were convicted after trial by the majority of the jury and it’s a serious offence.

“The consequences for this woman, who had to describe the circumstances in graphic detail of what happened to her, have been quite significant.

“There is only one disposal.”

Bell was jailed for two years and placed on the sex offenders’ reigster.

November 2019

Ayrshire man caught with indecent images of kids told police the ‘children looked cute’

An Irvine man had hundreds of indecent images of children on his devices.

Stephen Le Roy told police he “thought the children looked cute” when he was questioned about his possession of the pictures.

The 50-year-old pleaded guilty to possessing the pictures and distributing them to others via email.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard Le Roy’s home in Parkside, Bourtreehill, was searched by police on January 12 and two mobile phones were seized.

Across the devices 497 inaccessible images and 94 inaccessible videos of an indecent nature were discovered.

There were also a further three pictures which were accessible to view.

The video amounted to two-and-a-half hours of footage.

The fiscal depute told the court: “The accused was interviewed and admitted that he would find the indecent content and he accepted that he knew it was illegal.

“He said he thought the children looked cute.”

The prosecutor added: “There were emails found indicative of the accused sending on the images to others via email.”

Le Roy’s defence agent told the court he was a working man and had kept to his bail conditions.

Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane placed Le Roy on the sex offenders register and deferred sentencing for reports.

November 2019

Man groomed Largs schoolgirl