BRIAN LAING OF LERWICK ADMITTED TO MULTIPLE OFFENCES INVOLVING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN SHERLOCK
In Lerwick, 75-year-old Brian Laing has pleaded guilty to possessing over 600 indecent images of children while he was on bail, with the charges spanning from 2019 to 2023.The Lerwick Sheriff Court heard that these recent offences are directly comparable to those he was sentenced for in November of the previous year.
Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie stated that the investigation was sparked after Laing returned a laptop to a local dealer and exchanged it for a different model.
During cleaning, staff discovered suspicious search entries, prompting police to search Laing’s home.
They uncovered more than 600 images and six videos, mostly depicting girls aged five and under.
Police also became aware of a second offence when Laing was observed purchasing a mobile phone.
Laing admitted to taking or permitting the take of indecent images of children at his home and elsewhere from 6 November 2015 to 3 November 2022, and to being in possession of such images from 19 November 2019 to 2 January 2023.
The court deferred sentencing until 9 August to allow for a criminal justice social work report and assessment of Laing’s eligibility for a restriction of liberty order.
All devices and images involved are to be forfeited, and the court continues to consider issuing a harm prevention order.
These latest offences will also be added to Laing’s record on the sex offender register.
In a previous 2022 case, it was revealed that Laing, then aged 74 and with a known predilection for prepubescent girls, used an iPad belonging to a care home—where his wife resided—to view indecent images of children.
The device was found by staff attempting to return it for her, as she was in poor health and unable to communicate in person due to pandemic restrictions.
Duncan MacKenzie explained that staff discovered explicit images while installing a suitable application on the device.
Police examined the device and subsequently searched Laing’s home on 2 February, seizing further devices containing thousands of images and videos, including 218 videos, 2,456 photographs, and 51 printed images.
These files date from April 17, 2020, to January 31, of the current year.
The images included Category A material involving penetrative sexual activity, sexual acts with animals, and sadism.
Mr MacKenzie remarked, “It’s apparent that the accused has a particular predilection for prepubescent girls,” noting that most of the images involved young victims, many between three and five years old.
Laing admitted to police that he could not deny his involvement, reportedly saying, “I can’t deny it,” although he also refused to provide passwords for some devices.
He further admitted visiting websites known for indecent images of children and printing material from them.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank adjourned the case until 9 November for social work and restriction order reports and ordered that Laing be subject to sex offender notification requirements.
Laing’s bail was to continue, and the court also ordered the devices seized to be forfeited.
In a separate 2022 incident, Laing, then 73, was given a 12-month supervision order after pleading guilty to behavior deemed threatening and abusive.
He was found guilty of photographing a 16-year-old girl’s bottom and following her around Tesco in Lerwick on 21 November, while repeatedly staring at her and her guardian.
Sheriff Cruickshank recognized a significant sexual aspect to the offence and imposed a supervision order along with sex offender notification requirements.
Defense lawyer Tommy Allan highlighted a report indicating that Laing had made full and frank admissions, and suggested a supervision order would help him address underlying issues, particularly given his history of health problems, including six heart attacks.
Allan noted that Laing, who was on medication and had no memory of the incident, had suffered prior health episodes before attending an Aberdeen hospital.
The incident was captured on store CCTV footage, providing clear evidence of the events.
The court’s proceedings reflected a comprehensive approach to addressing Laing’s conduct, with all involved measures aimed at safe management and safeguarding of the community.
