HASTINGS MAN ALEXANDER CUTHBERTSON JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN GLASGOW

In March 2021, a disturbing case involving a man from Hastings, Alexander Cuthbertson, came to light in Glasgow, where he was sentenced to prison for his involvement in the possession and distribution of indecent images and videos of minors. Cuthbertson, aged 49, was found to have accumulated a staggering collection of nearly 1,900 illicit photographs and video clips at his flat located in Glasgow’s Lambhill area.

The investigation revealed that Cuthbertson had created multiple fake social media profiles, which he used to communicate with underage children over an extended period, spanning from March 2007 to January of the previous year. Under the guise of a young girl, he repeatedly solicited explicit photographs from victims as young as 13 years old, demonstrating a calculated effort to exploit vulnerable minors.

During the court proceedings at Glasgow Sheriff Court, Cuthbertson pleaded guilty to several serious charges. These included taking or permitting the taking of indecent images of children, distributing such images, and engaging in sexually explicit written communications with minors. His actions not only involved the collection of illicit material but also the active solicitation and dissemination of child exploitation content.

As part of the sentencing, Sheriff Joseph Platt sentenced Cuthbertson to 20 months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to be placed on the sex offenders register for a period of ten years, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the potential risk posed to the community.

The police raid on Cuthbertson’s Glasgow residence, specifically on Skirsa Street, resulted in the seizure of two iPhones and a desktop computer. These devices were thoroughly examined, leading to the recovery of the extensive collection of 1,899 indecent images and videos. Prosecutor Amy Hunter informed the court that the videos alone had a total playback time of five hours and 51 minutes, underscoring the disturbing scale of the material involved.

Further details revealed that Cuthbertson, operating under the alias 'Lucy,' had established fraudulent social media accounts on platforms such as Snapchat and Kik Messenger. Through these accounts, he engaged with at least three underage teenagers, requesting explicit images and exchanging sexually explicit messages. It was also uncovered that he sent images of children via Snapchat and Kik to a user identified as ‘MysteryPerson81,’ highlighting the extent of his online predatory behavior.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and the importance of vigilance in protecting minors from such predators.