A Virgin Media field engineer who downloaded images of child abuse the day police arrived with a warrant to search his home was spared jail at Perth Sheriff Court.
As a “direct alternative,” 49-year-old Rodney Rice was ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work as part of a three-year community payback order.
His name will also remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for three years.
He admitted downloading indecent images at his home at Kirkton Farm Cottage, Abernyte, between April 13 and August 19, 2020.
Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney said Police Scotland obtained the warrant after receiving “confidential information” that child porn might be held on devices there.
The warrant was executed at 7.45am on August 19, 2020.
A computer tower was recovered which showed that indecent images of children had been downloaded between 7.10am and 7.18am that morning.
Officers also took possession of a hard drive.
It contained one indecent image of children and eight videos.
Mr Sweeney added: “In total, the video run time was 26 minutes and 22 seconds. There were two category A, four category B and two category C videos, all inaccessible.”
Two category B images, again described as ‘inaccessible,’ were also seized.
Lawyer John McLaughlin said his client now accepted his involvement.
Rice also had a conduct requirement imposed, limiting his use of the internet.
