DAVID REILLY KILMARNOCK POLICE OFFICER JAILED FOR CHILD SEX IMAGE DOWNLOADS IN SCOTLAND

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Kilmarnock and the wider region, David Reilly, a former police officer, has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of accessing and viewing illegal images depicting child sexual abuse. The incident, which came to light in late 2017, revealed that Reilly, aged 39, had been engaging in this illicit activity for over six years, during which he accessed a vast array of disturbing material online.

Reilly was employed at the Ministry of Defence police force, a position that involved guarding sensitive sites such as the nuclear submarine facility at Faslane. Prior to this, he served with Strathclyde Police, but his criminal conduct was uncovered after authorities traced his online activity. It was discovered that he had sought out and downloaded images and videos of children being subjected to sexual assault, including some classified as Category A, which is reserved for the most extreme and heinous forms of abuse, such as child rape and torture.

The investigation revealed that Reilly actively sought out these images from other paedophiles through internet chat rooms, indicating a deliberate and sustained pattern of illegal activity. His actions prompted a swift response from law enforcement, culminating in his arrest late last year. During the court proceedings, a judge sentenced Reilly to 12 months in prison, emphasizing the severity of his crimes. The judge stated, “You actively accessed images involving children in young age groups of the worst possible type.”

Reilly’s background and attitude drew significant criticism from social workers and legal professionals. His own defence lawyer admitted that Reilly had “lost his temper with them,” referring to the social workers involved in the case. The social workers’ report was notably critical, with Sheriff Alistair Watson expressing his surprise at its harshness. The report raised concerns about Reilly’s family life, including his responsibilities as a father to a young child, but Reilly insisted that his interest in the material was “confined entirely” to the online realm and did not involve any real-world harm.

Initially, Reilly claimed that he did not derive sexual gratification from viewing the images, but during court proceedings, he admitted this was not true. The court was told that the images he possessed were numerous, with a significant portion falling into the Category A classification, highlighting the severity of his offending. Sheriff Watson commented on the lack of insight shown by Reilly, noting that this made it difficult to accept any genuine remorse. Despite this, the court acknowledged that Reilly had taken some “meaningful” steps towards addressing his behaviour.

As part of his sentence, Reilly was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of 10 years. His jail term was reduced from 18 months to 12 months due to his early guilty plea. Following the allegations, Reilly resigned from the Ministry of Defence police force after being suspended when the investigation was initiated. The case has left a lasting impact on the community of Kilmarnock and has raised serious concerns about the presence of such offenders within law enforcement ranks.