December 2011 Staring paedophile spared jail after causing alarm at beach A PAEDOPHILE who stared at children and took photographs of them at a north-east beach has been spared jail. Gerald Ross, 45, admitted breaching the peace by conducting himself in a disorderly manner and causing alarm at Stonehaven harbour on June 27 last year. The court previously heard that Ross told police he was sexually excited by girls aged eight to 15 and had gone to the town because he was ‘likely to get that kind of thing at the beach’. He was put on probation for three years Aberdeen at Sheriff Court yesterday and ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service. Ross was spotted staring at youngsters wearing swimsuits by two concerned parents who had taken their children to play at the beach. Fiscal depute Anne Macdonald previously told the court that Ross was staring at the children with a ‘lustful’ expression. She said the women contacted police who then searched his home. Ross, whose address was given in court papers as Heron Way, Kemnay, also admitted downloading 51 indecent images of children from the internet between March 2002 and May 2003. Ms Macdonald said the children were roughly between the ages of eight to 15 and were mainly girls. Ross also admitted having 19 photographs on June 27 last year, which the court heard he had printed off from his computer. Ross’s solicitor Gail Goodfellow said the images were for his own use and he did not think he was doing any harm — although he realised the children in pictures were being abused. She said that he himself had been abused when he was a teenager. ‘He has completed two photography courses at Aberdeen College and set out initially to take pictures of the scenery,’ she said. She added Ross was ashamed and embarrassed and he knew his behaviour and the consequences had ruined his life. Sheriff Graham Buchanan said: ‘This involves pretty unpleasant conduct. I have had to give most careful consideration whether I should impose a custodial sentence.’