ADIN JOHNSTONE FROM KINGLASSIE SENTENCED AFTER BEING CAUGHT WITH CHILD AND ANIMAL ABUSE MATERIAL

Adin Johnstone, a 24-year-old resident of Kinglassie, has been subjected to community supervision after being found in possession of highly disturbing and illegal images and videos involving children and animals. The case was heard at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, where it was revealed that Johnstone possessed nearly 2,000 images depicting child abuse, along with over 300 videos, some of which contained the most graphic and disturbing content.

The court was informed that the material included images of infants, as well as female children engaged in sexual acts with dogs. The severity of the content was underscored by the fact that some of the images involved babies, and others depicted female minors participating in sexual activities with animals. The images and videos were discovered during a police search of Johnstone’s home on February 28 of the previous year, following intelligence reports indicating that indecent images of children had been accessed on his devices.

Among the devices seized was a computer tower belonging to Johnstone, which was found to contain the illicit material. The authorities recovered a total of 1,976 images and 338 videos from his devices. The prosecution detailed that the majority of the images depicted females aged between six months and 16 years, with some images involving males aged between 10 and 14. The content was categorized into different levels of severity, with a significant portion classified as Category A, indicating the most serious material involving child rape, children engaged in sexual acts with each other, and female children involved in sexual activities with dogs.

The videos alone had a combined duration of over 15 hours and 13 minutes, illustrating the extent of the material stored on Johnstone’s devices. The court heard that some of the most graphic content included depictions of child rape and sexual acts involving animals, which are considered among the most heinous forms of abuse.

During the hearing, Johnstone pleaded guilty to charges that he took or permitted the taking of indecent images of children between February 7, 2022, and February 27, 2023. Prosecutor Catherine Stevenson emphasized the disturbing nature of the material and the potential harm it represents.

In his defense, lawyer David Bell highlighted that Johnstone has no previous convictions. He referenced reports from social work and the Lucy Faithful Foundation, which suggest that Johnstone recognizes the serious impact of his actions and the extent of his offending. Mr. Bell argued that Johnstone has shown a willingness to engage with support services and supervision, and that continued engagement could serve the public interest by reducing the risk of reoffending.

Sentencing was handed down by Sheriff Steven Borthwick, who imposed 120 hours of unpaid work on Johnstone and placed him under offender supervision for 18 months. The conditions attached to the supervision include strict requirements such as allowing police inspections of his devices and obtaining supervisor approval before having any contact with children. Additionally, Johnstone was registered as a sex offender for a period of 18 months, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the need for ongoing monitoring.