DERICK ROBERTSON'S INTERNET BAN IN FIFE REJECTED AFTER CHILD PORN CASE
In a significant legal development in Scotland, Derick 'Dez' Robertson, a man from Fife, who was the first individual in the country to be subjected to a court-ordered internet ban due to his involvement with child pornography, faced a rejection of his attempt to have that restriction lifted.The case highlights ongoing concerns about monitoring and enforcement of restrictions placed on sex offenders, especially those related to online activity.
Robertson was initially banned from using the internet independently after authorities discovered he possessed more than 1,000 images of child pornography on his computer.
This ruling was part of a broader effort to prevent him from accessing or sharing illegal material online.
However, Robertson later returned to court, seeking to modify or lift the internet ban, citing difficulties in enforcement and regulation.
His request was made at the behest of social workers from Fife Council, who argued that the existing restrictions were practically impossible to oversee on a daily basis.
At Perth Sheriff Court, Sheriff Shiona Waldron presided over the case and ultimately rejected Robertson’s bid.
She acknowledged that many probation conditions, including the internet ban, are inherently challenging to police effectively on a routine basis.
Nonetheless, she emphasized that such challenges do not render these restrictions invalid or unenforceable.
Sheriff Waldron expressed concern over Robertson’s admitted 'propensity for and self-proclaimed addiction to pornography,' which underscored the importance of maintaining strict controls.
She clarified that while some conditions, like the internet ban, are difficult to enforce continuously, they remain valid and necessary.
The court also considered the difficulty in monitoring Robertson’s interactions with minors, specifically the restrictions preventing him from being alone with or working with anyone under the age of 17.
Sheriff Waldron pointed out that constant supervision is impractical, but that police could conduct occasional checks on Robertson’s computer at his home.
As a result, she ordered that Robertson should have no unsupervised access to his computer, allowing for sporadic inspections to ensure compliance.
Robertson’s legal representative, solicitor Brian Tait, explained that the Fife Council had raised concerns about the practical enforcement of the restrictions.
Robertson, a former Arnold Clark car salesman, had the 'no internet access' order imposed on December 10.
Despite this, he still shares a home computer with his partner, complicating efforts to enforce the ban.
Tait also noted that Robertson had recently moved from Kinross to Fife following his conviction last month for possessing child pornography.
Social workers had proposed conducting random checks on Robertson’s home, including installing a special disk that could reveal his search history and online activity.
The court had previously sentenced Robertson to three years of probation, during which he was prohibited from using the internet.
Additionally, he was barred from spending time alone with minors or working with them, and was ordered to undergo sex offender treatment and complete 240 hours of unpaid community service.
Robertson admitted to possessing ten indecent images at his residence in February of this year, with the intent to distribute or share them.
He also confessed to downloading a total of 1,320 indecent images of children between November 1999 and February 2003.
His case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and enforcing restrictions on sex offenders, especially in the digital age, and raises questions about the effectiveness of current measures to prevent reoffending.
