Biggest ever child porn haul found in Lochgelly

Published 25 Jan 2012 08:00 13 Comments

Share this

A FREED sex offender was caught with the largest haul of child pornography ever seized by police in Fife.

Lochgelly man Andrew Whitelaw later made a bid from prison to get a neighbour to dump a briefcase containing 'the worst possible images of children' in a bid to destroy evidence of his offending.

A judge on Monday called for a full risk assessment to be carried out on Whitelaw which can lead to a life sentence being imposed on him.

Whitelaw (68), was previously jailed for six years until 2004 and ordered to be kept under supervision for a further five years

As part of checking up on him Detective Constable Jane Keay and a social worker made an unannounced visit to his home in McGregor Avenue, in February last year.

Advocate depute Leanne Cross told the High Court in Edinburgh, "He was advised that they wished to check the bedroom of his house, at which he became obviously uncomfortable and informed DC Keay that she could not enter his bedroom as his bed had not been made."

He was warned that failure to allow access would breach licence conditions and admitted there was a computer hard drive but claimed it belonged to another sex offender and added, "It's not pretty."

He let them into the bedroom and showed them the hard drive on the floor, but was spotted trying to hide a laptop under a duvet. More discs were later seized and when Whitelaw was interviewed he said the hard drive had come from a friend with other property. He said he plugged it into the laptop and viewed what he described as "horrific images showing the abuse of children".

Whitelaw was held in prison but police later received information that he had left a briefcase with a neighbour and was trying to make arrangements from jail for its destruction.

Officers discovered that Whitelaw had contacted another neighbour and told him the case held DVDs containing "the worst possible images of children" and asked him to dump it, which he refused.

Miss Cross said examination of the computer gear took place over months and added, "This case involves the largest collection of child abuse images ever recovered by Fife Constabulary."

The prosecutor said more than 204,000 were found with more than 6000 at the most extreme of the scale.

A further 3001 video files were also found with nearly 250 of the worst kind, including children and babies being bound and raped.

Whitelaw admitted possessing and making indecent photos of children and attempting to pervert the course of justice

Lord Bracadale deferred sentence and placed Whitelaw on the sex offenders' register.

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

mad mum
Unregistered User
Jan 25, 10:28
Report comment

I live in this street with my children and its making me absalutly furious that someone like this has been allocated a house so close to children. He is close to 2 primary schools and not to forget the North School in this street who have very vulnerable children in it. It should be up to Police and Social Workers to inform families when our children are at risk from people living in our streets.

Recommend? Yes 43 No 0
cookietrace
Unregistered User
Jan 25, 12:33
Report comment

he should be locked up in a room filled with parents and then see what happens now that would be justice.

why oh why was he near a school or anywhere near children parents should be allowed to know whom they are living close too

Recommend? Yes 24 No 2
anon
Unregistered User
Jan 25, 13:24
Report comment

My friend's wee girl lives just 3 streets away in Timmons Park but plays with friends in McGregor Avenue!! What is this world coming to?

The sex offenders register should be made public for everyone to see, it's not right that people like this are given all the protection paid for by taxpayers!

Recommend? Yes 20 No 0
RonCuthbert
Unregistered User
Jan 25, 18:28
Report comment

So apparently a paedophile has been arrested in Lochgelly. They found videos and pictures he owned of children, and videos he had MADE of children and BABIES being bound and raped! Infuriatingly, his house was on McGregor Avenue, a street that is very close to a play park, very close to a primary school AND very close to a nursery.

But the worst part is...this was his second offence. SECOND?! Why was he even ALLOWED to do ANYTHING after the first attempt?

I used to be strongly against the death penalty, but seriously, anyone who would do that to kids!

Recommend? Yes 15 No 0
KW79
Unregistered User
Jan 25, 21:04
Report comment

I live 100 yards from this sick person and cannot believe that the council and police would let a convicted paedophile live so near schools and a play park. Also his house is straight across from water-house and a wooded walk area, where kids play quite regularly.

My oldest kid is at the age where he was just starting to go out himself and walk the short distances to his friend's house and the 200 yards home from School. They played right outside his window and I am just so glad that he was already locked up. The question is though, how many more such people are in the area.

Recommend? Yes 13 No 0
sylvanno
Unregistered User
Jan 25, 22:29
Report comment

sick pedeo its totaly beyond me how anyone can hurt a defencless vulnerable child a thinkthey are not fit to be even living and yet these people get protection a think the law is totaly wrong and the legalsystem is a total shambels shoot the beast

Recommend? Yes 7 No 0
cowdenlass
Unregistered User
Jan 26, 16:06
Report comment

So many parents in that area will have so many thoughts going through their heads.

Were there children in the area that had been left alone with him?

I'm glad in this horrid world that I chose not to have children and I hope there will be an inquiry into why this evil man was housed so close to families and schools!!

Recommend? Yes 2 No 0
disgusted mum
Unregistered User
Jan 26, 16:41
Report comment

I think the point here is, he should never have been housed anywhere, by that i mean he should never have been released from prison the first time, when are the authorities going to get it, these people should NEVER be allowed near children EVER.

Recommend? Yes 5 No 0
Beverly
Unregistered User
Jan 26, 19:45
Report comment

The death penalty would be to good for this monster ! he should be left in a room with the parents and let them deal his fate ...

Recommend? Yes 5 No 0
Maybe
Unregistered User
Jan 29, 19:45
Report comment

Horrific. However, do you think that the prosecutors and investigators always tell the entire truth?

Recommend? Yes 0 No 2
Stark Truth
Unregistered User
Jan 31, 06:30
Report comment

"Official figures understate the number of people who die in custody after being restrained by police, a BBC investigation has found."

Many wrongs in this world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Spoonie
Unregistered User
Jan 31, 21:33
Report comment

@stark truth - sorry, I'm failing to see the point of ur quote in relation to this article?

There seems to be a misconception here that the police are responsible for the housing of sex offenders - this is not the case. Their job is to manage them once released, and while I would prefer these folk to be locked up and the key thrown away, they have to go somewhere. We've just got to hope that the systems put in place after release are effective. It seems crazy to put these folk in places where children will frequent - talk about temptation. I'm not sure I would want to know where all these folk live...I think if I did, my child would never see the light of day!!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Duke
Unregistered User
Feb 3, 19:33
Report comment

I cannot believe that a brute like this was housed in McGregor Avenue. I was brought up there and my parents would have been beside themselves.

I do however know that as I live in Peterhead and have done for 30years, that these people are released from prison, into the community, when in my opinion they should be locked away forever and deprived of everything they love in life.

They deserve to rot in hell.

Recommend? Yes 1 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Central Fife Times Poll

Should Andy Gray and Richard Keys have lost their jobs in the Sky sexism row?

This Poll is now closed.

Yes (50.6%)

No (49.4%)

Follow @dunfermlinep