Scots paedophile spent year collecting vile images of children as young as two

Jake Prior, 30, was found with more than 150 child abuse files on his phone and claimed he downloaded the sickening material after ending a relationship.

A paedophile caught with vile images of two-year-old girls on his phone has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years. Depraved Jake Prior was found to have spent more than a year collecting over 150 child abuse files on his phone when it was searched by police and analysed.

Prior, 30, claimed he had downloaded the sickening material after ending a long-term relationship and while he was abusing alcohol and cannabis. Dundee Sheriff Court was told that Prior had "minimised" his involvement during initial discussions with social workers after he pled guilty.

Sheriff Mungo Bovey placed Prior under supervision for three years, ordered him to attend the Tay Project for sex offenders, and told him to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

Prior, to Strathmartine Road, Dundee, was also made subject to a conduct requirement, placing strict limits on his future use of the internet and social media. Police Scotland raided Prior's home after receiving a tip-off that he had indecent material. He admitted downloading indecent images of children between February 27, 2022, and August 9, 2023.

Fiscal depute Jamie Hilland told the court: "Police Scotland received intelligence that indecent images of children had been made within the address. On August 9, they attended to execute a warrant.

"The accused answered the door. A number of devices including an iPhone were recovered. In total there were 150 images and seven videos featuring females aged from two to 16."

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The court was told that Prior had created the images on his phone over an 18-month period and had done so by using the Kik messenger platform.

Solicitor John Boyle, defending, told the court: "There was the end of a relationship and the death of a very close family member, which led to the excessive use of alcohol and cannabis.

"The author of the social work report said there was initially minimisation of his responsibility, but in the course of the interview that has shifted towards acceptance."

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