GUY KIBBLEWHITE AND CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES IN GLASGOW AND EAST KILBRIDE
A man from East Kilbride, Guy Kibblewhite, has admitted to possessing a significant collection of child sexual abuse images on his mobile device, sparking serious concern and legal proceedings.The case was heard at Hamilton Sheriff Court, where it emerged that Kibblewhite, who is registered as blind, had accumulated hundreds of such illicit images over a period of ten years.
According to court reports, Kibblewhite’s possession of indecent images came to light after a delivery driver in Glasgow noticed something disturbing on his phone.
The driver, while dropping off parcels, observed Kibblewhite through the window of his home on Louisbraille Crescent.
He saw that Kibblewhite was actively scrolling through his phone, and what drew immediate attention was an image of a naked young boy, estimated to be between six and seven years old.
Concerned by the nature of the image, the delivery worker decided to notify the police.
Subsequently, law enforcement officers seized Kibblewhite’s phone, revealing a disturbing cache of digital material.
An analysis of the device uncovered a total of 689 indecent images depicting children, with 184 classified under the most severe category of depravity.
Alongside these images, the phone contained 67 videos featuring child sexual abuse, with 53 of these classified as being in the highest, most serious category.
Some of the images included extremely young children, even infants or toddlers, engaging in sexually explicit acts.
Further scrutiny revealed that the device was equipped with a feature that allowed Kibblewhite to access dark web sites, often associated with illicit content unavailable through standard internet browsing.
The court was informed that the images and videos had been amassed over a decade, with the last known possession occurring in June of the previous year.
Kibblewhite, aged 58, has been registered as blind since May 2015, a fact that Sheriff John Speir acknowledged as seemingly 'incongruous' given the severity of the crimes.
Kibblewhite’s defense lawyer, Andy Thomson, explained that his client could only perceive movement or faint images, noting that Kibblewhite uses a voice activation device to help interpret the content on his phone.
Neil Thomson, prosecuting the case, detailed how the danger was real and immediate, citing the police's discovery of highly disturbing and age-appropriate images.
Kibblewhite’s legal proceedings highlighted his status as a first-time offender, with his lawyer emphasizing that he was genuinely remorseful and vulnerable, needing assistance to enter the courtroom.
As he was brought into the dock, Kibblewhite wept openly.
Sheriff John Speir reflected on the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that given the extensive quantity and nature of the images, a custodial sentence would generally be deemed appropriate.
However, given Kibblewhite’s medical condition and the unusual circumstances, the sheriff deferred sentencing to next month.
This delay will allow for background reports and a comprehensive risk assessment to be prepared.
The sheriff also requested medical evidence from the defense to confirm the legitimacy of Kibblewhite’s reported condition.
Throughout the proceedings, Kibblewhite's bail was maintained, and further decisions regarding his sentence will be made after additional evaluations, underscoring the seriousness of the offence and the court’s careful approach to such sensitive and disturbing allegations.
