Edinburgh paedophile who downloaded hundreds of 'child rape' videos caught by shocked boyfriend

A paedophile who downloaded hundreds of child rape movies was caught after his boyfriend spotted horrific images on his mobile phone.

Facing prison: Blair Houliston

Blair Houliston, 27, used What’s App and Kick Messenger to send and receive the depraved films and images of toddlers as young as two-years-old being abused by adults.

Depraved Houliston was in contact with a pervert in the United States who sent him scores of sickening still pictures and videos clips after he told the man he was into “kids, rape and incest”.

He also stored hundreds of the images on computer equipment over a three year period at his home in the Greendykes area of Edinburgh.

He was eventually caught out after inviting a new partner back to his flat where the man spotted some of his disturbing collection on Houliston’s mobile phone.

The man was left so shocked by what he saw on the handset that he immediately called the police to inform them of his discovery, sparking a trans-Atlantic investigation into Houliston’s computer and mobile history, contents and downloads. It is understood that specially trained officers were involved in the probe, using state-of-the-art software to reveal Houliston’s web history.Prosecutor Rosie Cook told the court Houliston met his male partner through a dating app in March 2018 and invited the man back to his home later that month.

The procurator fiscal depute said the male spotted “something concerning on [Houliston’s] mobile phone” and decided to inform the police.

Officers obtained a search warrant before they conducted a raid at Houliston’s flat the following month and his mobile phone and a desktop tower unit were confiscated and forensically analysed.

Police discovered hundreds of indecent images and movies depicting child abuse mostly involving males aged between 12 and 14-years-old engaging in solo sex acts and posing erotically.

Officers also found evidence of Houliston had contacted a child abuser in Austin, Texas, on What’s App where they found conversations that were “extremely sexual in nature”.

The online chats included the US pervert asking Houliston “What are you into, sir?” and the Scot replied “kids, rape, incest”.

Further images were then found on a computer program known as Mega, which was said to be similar to Dropbox and used for storing photograps, depicting “children as young as two-years-old”, the court was told.

Houliston is now facing a jail sentence after he pleaded guilty to two offences of possessing and distributing indecent images of children when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Sheriff John Mundy said the offences were “clearly a very serious matter” and placed Houliston on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a term still to be decided.

Solicitor Kevin Connor, defending, said his client was a first offender and would reserve his mitigation to the sentencing hearing.

Houliston pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children at his home address between January 21, 2015 and April 4, 2018.

He also admitted to distributing indecent images of children between January 21, 2015 and January 21, 2018.

Sentence was deferred until November.

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