Edinburgh DJ who recorded schoolgirl carrying out sex acts over video call warned he is facing jail term

Dave Angelo Valdez convinced the child to perform solo sex acts for him as he chatted to her online while recording the images on his mobile phone.

Valdez also sent the 14-year-old victim images of him masturbating and downloaded thousands of vile images and videos depicting children as young as four years old being sexually abused.

Police officers discovered the horror footage held on several mobile phones when they raided the 25-year-old’s former home at the Colinton Mains area of Edinburgh last year.

Valdez has now been placed on the sex offenders register and told by a sheriff to “get your affairs in order” as he is facing a lengthy jail term when he returns to court for sentencing next month.

The popular DJ has been a fixture on the Edinburgh club scene for the past four years and has played headline sets at several of the capital’s main dance venues.

Valdez pleaded guilty to charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and to possessing indecent images of children between April 2019 and March 2021 when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday.

Fiscal depute Cheryl Porter said Valdez had initially made contact with the child, who lives in England, on the chat site Emerald before moving their discussions to Skype in January 2021.

Dave Angelo Valdez, 25, pictured outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court. | Alexander Lawrie

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Valdez, currently living in the city’s Old Town, then asked the girl to send him indecent images of herself and recorded her “touching herself” during several video calls between the pair. He also sent the youngster between five and 10 videos of him carrying out a solo sex act.

The court was told police received intelligence regarding Valdez and recovered seven mobile phones containing around 2000 child abuse pictures and videos during a raid on his home in November 2021.

The court was told hundreds of the disgusting images were rated as Category A - the most depraved end of the spectrum. The fiscal depute said police officers also found 43 “first generation” videos that Valdez had made himself by recording the child he had been chatting to online.

Sheriff Matthew Auchincloss said: “These are very serious charges. Because you are a first offender I have to get a criminal justice social work report in relation to you. The most likely outcome for you is a custodial sentence. I am going to continue your bail, largely so you can get your affairs in order.”

The sheriff placed Valdez on the sex offenders register and deferred sentence for reports to next month.