Court / Man caught with thousands of indecent images placed under supervision

A MAN caught with more than 4,000 indecent still images of children has been placed under supervision for three years.

Gary Devaney, from Burra, will also have to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within the next year.

He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for three years.

Devaney, 26, was found to have 4,273 “unique” still images and 227 videos – totalling a runtime of six hours – when police searched his devices at his home on 13 January.

Police had been tipped off he had been accessing the indecent material, and carried out a search of his house in January.

The court heard last month that during his interview Devaney made several admissions, claiming he had stumbled onto the material and had become attracted to it.

However a cyber crime report of his devices uncovered an extensive cache of downloaded material, the court was told.

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There were images accessible on the devices, but also others that were inaccessible – or had been deleted – before being recovered by police.

He admitted having indecent images of children in his possession between 25 June 2023 and 13 January 2025, and taking or permitting to be taken further photographs between 20 November 2021 and 20 January 2025.

Devaney also admitted distributing or showing images of children on or between 12 October 2024 and 6 January 2025.

Sentencing on Devaney had been deferred for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report.

He returned for sentencing at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said it was clear from the report that Devaney “recognises the full extent” of the offence, and that he was “deeply ashamed” of his actions.

Allan said Devaney had been someone who “spent too much time online”, and who had fallen “down a rabbit hole”.

Devaney was “willing to work with anyone” that he was required to, Allan added, and he said he had already started work with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation – which works to prevent child sexual abuse.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank subject to Devaney to a community payback order, and told him that this was a direct alternative to a custodial disposal.