A sheriff blasted a serial sex offender who claimed he only downloaded child abuse images because he thinks he is gay.
Donald McKenzie – a repeat sex offender who previously served a seven-year prison sentence for sexually abusing two young children – was today jailed for more than two years over the new offences.
McKenzie was placed on the sex offenders register for life and a 25-year sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) was imposed subjecting him to strict conditions and regular police checks.
Police turned up at a hostel in Perth’s Skinnergate where McKenzie was staying on November 24 last year and found he had a laptop in his possession.
When they looked at it they found “concerning” search terms, including references to young boys’ genitalia.
A full examination found 36 indecent images of children as well as disk-cleaning software – a direct breach of the SOPO.
McKenzie told officers he was “exploring his sexuality” because he “may have an attraction to other men”.
A sheriff told McKenzie he did a “severe disservice” to the gay community with his claim – and told him the public would be “disgusted” by him.
McKenzie, 55, a prisoner at HMP Perth, pleaded guilty on indictment to charges of downloading indecent images of children between September 23 and November 24 last year, and of breaching a sexual offences prevention order between October 27 and November 24 last year.
Defence solicitor Paul Ralph said: “He says he got the software before the SOPO was in place and that he was using it to make his computer faster. He said to police that the images were there because he was exploring his sexuality and whether he may have an attraction to other men.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown jailed McKenzie for a total of 25 months.
