ALAN KEEN FROM MELROSE JAILED FOR DOWNLOAD OF THOUSANDS OF CHILD INDECENT IMAGES IN EDINBURGH

In a serious case that has shocked the community of Melrose, Alan Keen, a 62-year-old resident of the town, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of possessing and downloading a vast collection of indecent images of children. The conviction follows a police raid on Keen’s residence located on Chiefswood Road in Melrose, which took place on August 7.

During the operation, law enforcement officers uncovered more than 6,000 photographs depicting children being subjected to abuse by adults. The images were stored across three different electronic devices, including a laptop and two USB sticks. Despite Keen’s efforts to delete the evidence prior to the police’s arrival, forensic analysis by specialist police IT personnel successfully recovered all the images.

The police investigation was initiated after receiving intelligence that led them to Keen’s home at Dingleton Apartments on Chiefswood Road. Officers arrived at approximately 8:30 a.m. and Keen answered the door himself, providing access for the search. The subsequent forensic examination revealed that Keen had attempted to erase the images, but all were recovered, confirming the possession of a total of 6,092 indecent images of children as young as five years old.

The images were categorized into different levels of severity, with two classified as Category A, indicating the most severe form of abuse, 24 as Category B, and the remaining 6,066 as Category C. During police interviews, Keen admitted that the devices belonged to him and claimed that he had been viewing pornography, asserting that he did not realize the images involved children. However, the evidence and his actions pointed to deliberate possession.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, solicitor Mark Harrower, representing Keen, acknowledged that his client was married but living separately from his wife at the time of the offenses. Harrower also stated that Keen now accepted that his actions were deliberate and noted that Keen had a previous conviction of a similar nature. The court was informed that Keen had pleaded guilty to charges of taking or permitting the taking of indecent images of children at his home between July 12 and August 7, and to possessing such images during the same period.

Judge Weir decided to defer sentencing until next month to allow for further reports and remanded Keen in custody. Additionally, Keen was placed on the Sex Offenders Register, with the duration of this registration to be determined at a later date. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the distribution and possession of child exploitation material, and the serious consequences faced by those found guilty of such offenses.