BRENT DAY FROM HELENSBURGH CAUGHT WITH OVER 1,650 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN SCANDAL AT KILDONAN DRIVE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Helensburgh, authorities uncovered a significant cache of indecent images involving children on the premises of Brent Day, a 47-year-old resident of the town. The investigation was initiated after police executed a raid on his residence on Kildonan Drive, following intelligence that suggested illegal online activity related to child exploitation.

During the operation, officers discovered that Day had stored more than 1,650 illicit images across three different computers within his home. The images included photographs of young girls as young as six months old, which Day admitted to downloading. He claimed that his interest in the material was driven by curiosity and insisted that some of the images had been obtained unintentionally. Despite his explanations, the evidence found was deeply troubling and indicated a serious breach of the law.

At Dumbarton Sheriff Court, where Day appeared last week, he faced charges related to the possession of indecent images of children. He pleaded guilty to possessing a substantial number of such images, which were dated between April 7, 2009, and August 16, 2012. The court was informed that the police raid was part of a broader, intelligence-led operation targeting individuals involved in the online distribution and possession of child abuse material.

Sarah Healing, the fiscal depute, detailed the findings of the police search. The officers seized three computers from Day’s residence, each containing a significant number of illicit images. One of the devices, an Acer laptop belonging to Day’s wife, was found to contain 22 indecent images of girls aged between 12 and 14 years old. Another black laptop, which Day claimed was his, was recovered from a storage box in the living room. Analysis revealed that this device held approximately 1,501 images of children aged from six months to 15 years old, classified across various levels of severity, with level five being the most severe.

Additionally, police found 50 moving images, or videos, on the same device, ranging from levels one to four in terms of severity. A third computer, a Compaq notebook, was also recovered from the living room and contained a further 85 indecent images. In total, the authorities discovered 1,658 images across all three devices, depicting girls from infancy up to 15 years old.

Following his arrest, Day was interviewed by police. During the interview, he stated that his wife, who had also been initially detained, was not involved in any of the material found on the computers. He further claimed that he had downloaded the images out of curiosity and by accident, attempting to explain his possession of such material. However, he did not offer any further explanation and remained silent when cautioned and charged.

Judge James Spy presided over the case, emphasizing the gravity of the charges. He noted that Day’s guilty plea reflected the seriousness of the offense, which could lead to a significant custodial sentence. Day’s address was recorded as HM Naval Base Clyde, and he is scheduled to return to court on August 14 for the next stage of proceedings, which will include the preparation of reports for sentencing.