ALAN MCDONALD'S SHOCKING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE IN MOTHERWELL REVEALS THIRD OFFENSE

In November 2018, authorities uncovered disturbing evidence of child exploitation involving Alan McDonald, a man with a long history of offenses related to indecent images of minors. The investigation was initiated when police officers visited McDonald's residence on Forgewood Road in Motherwell to execute a recall order, suspecting he had violated the conditions of his previous release from prison.

During the search, law enforcement officials discovered illicit material stored on various electronic devices belonging to McDonald, who is 44 years old. The devices contained numerous indecent images of children, prompting immediate legal action. McDonald was subsequently brought before Hamilton Sheriff Court, where he pleaded guilty to downloading these images in October 2016. The court sentenced him to a prison term of 35 months, emphasizing the severity of his repeated offenses.

In addition to his current sentence, Sheriff Alasdair MacFadyen ordered that McDonald be placed under supervised release for a period of 12 months following his release from custody. This measure aims to monitor his activities and prevent further offenses.

McDonald's criminal history is extensive and troubling. In 2002, he received a four-month sentence after being found guilty of downloading 600 obscene images onto a work computer while volunteering at a youth project managed by North Lanarkshire Council in Coatbridge. His criminal record deepened significantly in 2013 when he was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow of possessing a staggering 258,000 indecent images and 758 video clips depicting children being abused. This conviction resulted in a six-year prison sentence.

Remarkably, McDonald was released early from this lengthy sentence but was still under supervision when police caught him with additional indecent images. The authorities were in the process of recalling him to prison after he was alleged to have breached the conditions of his parole or license.

Prosecutor Callum Forsyth described the circumstances of the latest discovery: “Police allowed him the opportunity to dress, and he was escorted to his bedroom. An officer noticed a tablet on his bed which appeared to be displaying an indecent image. The device was seized, and a search warrant was subsequently granted for the property. The tablet contained nine indecent images, and a pen drive examined also held five images. These depicted females aged between four and 12, posing in underwear or swimwear, which is deeply disturbing.”

The case highlights the ongoing threat posed by individuals like McDonald, whose repeated offenses demonstrate a persistent danger to children and the community of Motherwell.