A mature student from Fife who shared vile child abuse material on SnapChat and Instagram has been spared prison to work with social workers to address his paedophilia.
Fife College social science student Colin Hitchcock, 49, admitted using social media apps to send the material to other paedophiles.
Sheriff Paul Brown imposed a community-based sentence on Hitchcock and told him it was in the “public interest” for him to remain at large.
He said social workers had assessed Hitchcock was remorseful for his crime and was prepared to work with them to address his sickening behaviour.
Sheriff Brown said: “These are serious offences.
“I will impose a substantial disposal by way of a community payback order and restriction of liberty as alternatives to custody.
“I am doing so because I am advised there is a public interest that work is undertaken with you and I’m giving you the opportunity to undertake that work.”
Banned from child contact
Solicitor Lee Qumsieh, defending, said: “He understands these are clearly very serious offences.
“I have explained to him that courts take a very serious view of any distribution offence.
“The author of the report is of the view considerable work can be done with him to ensure the risk of future offending is minimised.
“He is described as showing remorse and disgust at his offences.”
The sheriff ordered Hitchcock to carry out 300 hours unpaid work and to stay indoors from 7pm to 7am every night for four months.
He was placed under supervision for three years and on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.
Hitchcock, of Main Street, Colinsburgh, was also banned from having unsupervised contact with under-16s or forming new “friendships or intimate relationships” without social work approval.
Hitchcock admitted distributing child abuse images and videos from his home between April 25 and May 25 2022.
He also admitted downloading the material between March 14 and May 25 2022.
Two hours of obscene videos
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan told Dundee Sheriff Court: “Police received intelligence that a SnapChat account attributed to the accused had distributed child sexual abuse material.
“Further intelligence was received that an Instagram account had also uploaded material.
“A search warrant was issued and the accused was found at home.”
Hitchcock’s laptop was analysed and he was found to have sent depraved material to other users called “Danny B” and “I get cool pics.”
He was found to have nearly two hours worth of obscene videos and numerous images of girls as young as four being seriously sexually abused by adults.
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