Court / Man to be sentenced next year on indecent child images charge

A THIRTY five year old man from Sandwick who admitted possessing indecent photos and videos of children will be sentenced early next year.

Erik Stove, of Setter, pleaded guilty to a charge of “taking or permitting to be taken” indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children between 23 August 2014 and 8 March this year.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that Stove had three still images and 11 videos, though only three remained viewable, on his mobile phone.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said eight of the videos were in the device’s “recently deleted” folder.

Eight of the videos and one of the images were deemed to be of the most serious category A, while others were category B or C, with the children featured ranging from four to 12 years old.

After he was arrested Stove cooperated with police and told them: “I know there’s stuff on my phone that’s borderline and I wish to f**k I didn’t have it.”

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Defence agent Gregor Kelly said his client appreciated the serious nature of the offence. While he was in a “very dark place” in March this year and went down a “very dark rabbit hole”, the solicitor said it was “not a continuous course of conduct”.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank deferred sentence until 2 February for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report. Stove will be subject to notification requirements under the 2003 Sexual Offences Act.