Elgin man found with child abuse images claimed he clicked link by accident

An Elgin man claimed he had clicked a link to child porn on his mobile phone by accident after it was sent to him on a messenger website.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that 32-year-old Adam Betteridge, of Main Street, had his home raided by police and the phone was seized which was examined and had 14 of the most serious types of child abuse images at Category A and one 10 second video.

Depute fiscal Pauline Gair told Sheriff Sara Matheson that experts also found three still images in Category B and two in category C.

All were inaccessible and had been downloaded between September 29, 2019 and September 8, 2022 - the day before Betteridge's home was searched.

Also found were deleted search histories which had saved words like "pedophile, young, younger, youngest, pedo and hairless", Mrs Gair added.

Defence solicitor David Patterson said his client had no previous convictions and a background report would be required.

Sheriff Matheson deferred sentence until May 6 for the criminal justice social work report and a sex offender's rehabilitation programme assessment.

Betteridge was also placed on the Sex Offender's Register in the interim.