A father-of-two downloaded horrific child abuse videos using the name Bob Tickles on the Kik messenger app.
Neville McLaughlin was found with a video showing a girl between the ages of eight and 10 being violated by an adult male.
The 46-year-old also had images of girls aged 10 to 12 in sexualised poses.
He has been given a community-based sentence and placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
‘Bob Tickles’
Fiscal depute Lauren Pennycook told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court McLaughlin was snared thanks to intelligence received by the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit.
She said four police officers visited his home at 7.45am on September 1 2021.
“The accused was asked if he recognised a Kik account with the username TWAINZ76 and an email address, to which he said he did not recognise either.
“A search was carried out and a number of items recovered, including two mobile phones from the computer table in the living room.
“The accused identified these as his and provided the PIN.”
A forensic expert examined the phone and found the vile images in the cache of the Kik app.
They included 15 category C still images, a video at category C and another at category A – the most vile kind.
They were no longer accessible on the handset but an analysis of the Kik chat logs showed they had been sent in May and June of last year.
The court also heard the Kik account had the login TWAINZ76, which McLaughlin had denied recognising.
The account had the screen name Bob Tickles.
Self-referred to charity
McLaughlin, of Dalhousie Court, Carnoustie, admitted taking indecent images of children at an address in Fife on June 7 2021.
Solicitor David Bell, defending, said his client admitted viewing the images but had quickly deleted them.
He said he had no previous convictions and had self-referred to the Stop It Now! charity.
Mr Bell said McLaughlin was deeply ashamed of his actions.
Sheriff John MacRitchie placed McLaughlin on a 12-month supervision order.
He also ordered him to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work and placed him on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.
