Man caught with hoard of child-abuse images

A man caught with a hoard of child-abuse images has been jailed for 12 months.

Jose gonzalez ,48, downloaded hundreds of pictures and videos of children being sexually abused by adults over a four year period of repeat off ending.

The father-of-two was found to have the sickening collection –including some involving children as young as six years old - hidden away on a computer when Police Scotland officers raided his home in June, 2020.

Gonzalez denied the allegations despite being caught redhanded and stood trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in December last year where a jury convicted him on the evidence presented by prosecutors.

The jury also decided Gonzalez, from Newtongrange, Midlothian, was not guilty of a charge of possessing extreme pornography involving bestiality and he was cleared of that allegation.

He returned to the dock for sentencing where Sheriff Daniel Kelly said his offending had involved “planning and deliberate action” and that a report compiled by criminal justice social workers cautioned that he had“limited insight” into his behaviour.

Sheriff kelly added :“we heard the evidence at the trial and as I recall the children involved in the videos and photographs ranged between the ages of six and 16 years old.

“I do have to consider the seriousness of the offence of which you have been convicted, of having these images in your possession. I also have to consider the considerable harm that was caused to the children involved.”

Gonzalez was jailed for 12 months and placed on the Sex Offenders’ register for 10 years.