Rapist caught with indecent child photos

A CONVICTED rapist is facing a jail term after he was caught with indecent photographs of children while on licence, a court heard.

Thomas Hazlett, 71, who has two separate convictions for rape and was previously jailed for 12 years was snared with 1430 indecent images on his computer after police did an unannounced visit.

Ten years ago Hazlett was found guilty of repeatedly raping two young sisters while he babysat them. Jailing him for 12 years at the time, Lady Cosgrove told him the public interest had to be protected.

Fiscal depute Ian Wallace told Edinburgh Sheriff Court: “On May 31st this year police officers attended at his house and asked if they could have a look at his computer. He said they could. It was an unannounced visit. The computer they seized was forensically examined and was found to have paedophilic images."

Hazlett, of Edinburgh Prison, pled guilty to possessing the images at Redford Road, Edinburgh, on May 31 this year.

Sheriff Kenneth MacIver deferred sentence until next month for background reports to be prepared.