ALLAN MOONEY SHARES CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN GLASGOW AND LARKHALL

In March 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Allan Mooney, a man linked to both Glasgow and Larkhall, who admitted to possessing and distributing a vast collection of child abuse images. The investigation was initiated after police executed an early morning raid on his residence in McNeil Street, Larkhall, uncovering a disturbing cache of illicit material.

During the operation, officers seized electronic devices including a phone and a computer, which contained a total of 8,815 images. The majority of these images were classified as Category C, indicating a lower level of depravity, but alarmingly, 316 images fell into Category A, representing the most severe and disturbing content. The images depicted both male and female children, estimated to be between four and fourteen years old, highlighting the heinous nature of the material.

In addition to the visual content, cybercrime investigators discovered over 2,113 messages exchanged between Mooney and other individuals who shared his perverted interests. These messages, comprising approximately 30 conversations, were explicitly sexual and centered around child abuse and the sharing of illicit images. One particularly disturbing detail was that Mooney, using his iPhone, sent eight Category C images to another user on a single day. These exchanges were accompanied by comments such as “Mmm, she’s lovely” and “Wow, that’s sexy,” further illustrating the depraved mindset behind the communications.

Mooney, aged 37 and now residing in Bridgeton, Glasgow, appeared before Hamilton Sheriff Court on a Friday to face the charges. Prosecutor Jennifer McCabe outlined the systematic nature of the police search, which took place around 7 am on March 27 of the previous year. The court was informed of the extent of the material found and the explicit nature of the messages exchanged.

Given the severity of the case, Sheriff Ray Small ordered a criminal justice social work report and a risk assessment to evaluate Mooney’s potential threat to the community. Although Mooney has no prior convictions, the court decided to defer sentencing until May and mandated that he be registered on the sex offenders’ register, emphasizing the seriousness with which the judicial system is treating this case.