A Fife paedophile sent spy camera images of a naked teenage girl to fellow predators and invited them to send back videos of solo sex acts featuring the pictures.
Sean Hutchison gained footage of the under-16 girl after installing the hidden device in the bathroom of a Fife property.
The “dangerous” pervert then distributed them among a group of “like-minded paedophiles” using the Kik messenger app.
They responded with a vile practice known as “tribbing” or “tributing”.
When police raided his home in October 2021 they found he had been active on several sexualised chats just “moments” before.
Hutchison was also found with hundreds of child abuse images, some depicting children as young as three, which were downloaded over a nine year period.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court he was remanded ahead of sentencing after a sheriff told him he poses a risk to the public.
Covert spycam
Fiscal depute Ronnie Hay told the court Hutchison was arrested after intelligence was received that indecent images had been uploaded from his address.
Police seized a laptop and two mobile phones and found 60 sexualised chats under his Kik username.
He said: “The Kik app was active on the accused’s mobile phone and sexual chats were identified with other users.
“A video of (the victim) was found.
“This appeared to have been filmed covertly with a spycam located in a bathroom.
“Images had been distributed to other Kik users.
“Three of the chats were found to be active in the moments immediately prior to police arrival.”
Hutchison told police he had filmed the girl without consent but claimed she was not underage at the time.
Sick social media chats
Among the 475 images found in his possession, more than 200 were at category A, the worst kind.
There were also a number of videos, including four of adult men with spycam images of the teenager.
In the Kik chats, Hutchison distributed four video stills of her and told his fellow perverts she had been 14 or 15 when the footage was filmed.
He also made vile comments and suggestions.
In a group chat the paedophiles discussed the distribution of child abuse images.
His teenage victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was said to have been “distraught” when asked by police to identify herself in the images.
Paedophile ring danger
Hutchison, who is now homeless after being thrown out of his house in Cupar, admitted recording the girl in a private act using a spy camera on occasions between 2014 and 2017.
He further admitted distributing images to Kik users on various occasions in October 2021.
The 40-year-old further admitted possessing indecent images of children between July 2012 and October 2021.
Solicitor Bob Inch said his client took full responsibility for his actions and apologised for the distress caused to his victim and her family.
Sheriff James Williamson said it was clear Hutchison was in contact with “a like-minded paedophile ring” and branded him “a danger to children”.
He remanded him pending pre-sentencing reports and placed him on the Sex Offenders Register.
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