Midlothian crime: Man faces jail sentence after being caught with thousands of indecent images of children

William McCulloch was found to be in possession of thousands of pictures and videos depicting the rape and abuse of children when police raided his home last year.

William McCulloch was found to have thousands of indecent images on his devices | Alex Lawrie

McCulloch, 61, was said to have attempted to hide his collection by storing the images on three devices in “secure folders” that needed security settings to access them.

He admitted two offences during an appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, where he was told he is facing a jail sentence when he returns for sentencing next month.

Prosecutor Matthew Millar told the court police received intelligence that indecent material involving children was being accessed at McCulloch’s home in Penicuik, Midlothian. Officers turned up at the property with a search warrant and were met by McCulloch’s wife at around 8am on May 26 last year. 

McCulloch returned shortly after and a systematic search of the family home was carried out where two mobile phones and an external hard drive were seized. All three devices were said to hold indecent images of children.

Mr Millar said a total of 5,946 disgusting pictures and videos depicting both male and female children aged between “infants and 15-years-old” were found on the devices. The court was told around 2,000 of the images and videos were rated at Category A - the most serious end of the spectrum - and that security settings were needed to access the material.

Sheriff Charles Walls said: “I will call for a criminal justice social work report and you will need to speak with a social worker and cooperate with that report.

“But be under no illusion Mr McCulloch, that given the number of images and the categories of the images a custodial sentence is quite possible. All options will remain open to the court and bail will be continued.”

McCulloch was placed on the sex offenders register on an interim basis and full sentence was deferred to next month.

McCulloch pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children at his home address on May 25 last year. He also admitted to a charge of taking, or allowing to be taken, indecent images of children between May 5, 2011 and May 25 last year.