A man found with more than 7,300 indecent images of children on his computer has been spared a jail sentence.
Liff resident Campbell McAulay, 52, admitted having the images on his home computer at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin told the court police acting on intelligence raided his home on June 21 last year.
Officers recovered a laptop, two tablets, a desktop computer, a hard drive and other computer equipment and found he had used a number of search terms.
There were 135 images of category A level, 202 of category B and 6,993 category C – a total of 7,330 images.
Advocate Tim Niven-Smith told the court McAulay had immediately taken steps to address his behaviour and shown genuine remorse and contrition, adding that he took full responsibility.
“He understands that this is not a victimless crime,” Mr Niven-Smith added.
McAulay admitted his guilt at an early stage, he said, and pointed out that he had no previous convictions.
Asking Sheriff Lorna Drummond not to impose a custodial sentence on McAulay, the advocate told her that while the reports recognised his client had “deviant fantasies which are a cause for concern”, he was not assessed as being at a high risk of re-offending.
However, his fantasies required a lengthy period of treatment which could be addressed through support from the Tay Project, the court heard.
“He is not in the position where he poses no risk at all,” Mr Niven-Smith said.
McAulay admitted that between November 12 2014 and June 21 last year, at Liff, he took or permitted to be taken or made indecent photographs or psuedo-photographs of children.
Sheriff Drummond told McAulay his offence would merit a custodial sentence.
However, taking into account all the circumstances, she said she could impose a community-based disposal.
She placed him on a community payback order under supervision for three years with a treatment order through the Tay Project and a conduct requirement, also for three years. She also imposed 300 hours of unpaid work.
He was placed on the sex offenders register for three years.
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