Edinburgh man caught with haul of child abuse images involving two-year-olds escapes jail

Edinburgh man escapes prison time for sickening crimes

An Edinburgh man who was caught with a shocking haul of sex abuse images involving children as young as two-years-old has escaped custody.

Patryk Sienkiewicz was found to have downloaded more than 400 indecent images of children when police raided his home at the Royston Mains area of the capital last year. Sienkiewicz was also found to be in possession of a video depicting an adult engaging in sexual activity with an animal.

Sienkiewicz, 20, pleaded guilty to the two sexual offences when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in November and he returned to the dock for sentencing today, Wednesday, January 10.

Patryk Sienkiewicz, 20, pictured outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Kevin McCarron spared Sienkiewicz a custodial sentence and instead sentenced him to a community payback order involving 15 months of supervision. Sienkiewicz will also have to wear an electronic tagging device and stay with his home between 9pm and 7am for the next three months. The sheriff also ordered him to attend an internet offenders group when required to do so and placed him on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.

Previously, fiscal depute Connor Muir told the court police raided Sienkiewicz’s home and seized a computer and a mobile phone on January 23 last year. Mr Muir said the two devices were examined by cyber crime experts it was found he had collected a total of 337 images and 114 videos showing children being sexually abused.

The court was told pictures of female children aged between two and five were found along with one video found containing images of bestiality involving an adult and an animal. Mr Muir said 28 images and videos were rated as Category A - the most depraved - along with 125 at Category B and a further 298 at Category C. The Crown motion for forfeiture of the devices was granted by Sheriff McCarron.