Tain man downloaded ‘graphic and extreme’ images of children being abused

A 49-year-old Tain man who downloaded and retained over 200 images of children being abused on four electronic devices over a 10-year period has escaped a jail sentence.

Inverness Sheriff Court had previously been told that Peter Foster, of Stafford Street, pleaded guilty to the offence which occurred between January 29, 2014 and May 29, 2024.

The court heard that police received intelligence that Foster's address was linked with downloading indecent images and officers raided it at the beginning of September last year.

They seized a number of devices, including two iPhones, a hard disc drive and a laptop, all of which fiscal depute Karen Poke asked the sheriff to forfeit.

Ms Poke said that the images involved girls aged between six and 15 years and some were of the most graphic and extreme kind.

Sentence was deferred for a background report and defence solicitor advocate Shahid Latif told Sheriff Gary Aitken that there was "a clear recommendation" from the social worker author which he asked the court to follow.

Foster was placed on three years of social work supervision, instructed to carry out 250 hours of unpaid community work and participate in the sex offender's Moving Forward to Change rehabilitation programme.

Sheriff Aitken also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which placed more stringent restrictions on Foster, particularly on his contact with children. In addition he has to observe the registration requirements of the Sex Offender's Register for the next five years.