A Dundee man handed his phone into a pawn shop after installing specialist software to hide his stash of child abuse images.
When police recovered the mobile device from Cash Converters they were able to recover Darren Douglas’ sickening images using forensic search technology.
The 40-year-old has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years after trying to make money selling the tainted device.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told the phone he handed into Cash Converters was found to have more than a dozen vile images, including child rape, stored on it.
When police recovered the device they found Douglas had installed specialist software on it in a bid to hide the sickening material.
Douglas, of Provost Road, Dundee, admitted that between January 11 and June 19, 2020 he downloaded indecent images of children.
Flat raided for sick stash
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney told the court: “Confidential information was received that indecent images of children may be held on his devices.
“A joiner was called to force entry.
“The accused came to the door. A systematic search commenced.
“It was established he had sold his phone to Cash Converters.
“Staff handed over the phone.
“There were a total of 15 images. The device had anti-forensic software installed.”
Children aged between two and ten were featured.
Instagram searches used indicative terms including ‘pre-teens’ and ‘pre-teen fans’.
Sheriff Paul Brown placed Douglas on a curfew for six months and under social work supervision for three years.
He was also given a conduct requirement to severely restrict his use of the internet.
