HENRY HUNTER FROM LERWICK SHETLAND SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND POSSESSION OF CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In a recent and highly disturbing case, Henry Hunter, a resident of Lerwick in Shetland, has been convicted and sentenced for possessing a significant amount of child abuse images and for engaging in heinous online activities that promote extreme sexual violence against children.

Hunter appeared before Lerwick Sheriff Court from Grampian Prison on a Wednesday, where the severity of his crimes was laid bare. The court was informed that Hunter’s actions were not only morally reprehensible but also posed a serious threat to public safety, warranting an extended period of incarceration. The Procurator Fiscal Duncan MacKenzie emphasized that Hunter’s behavior was “horrendous” and that his repeated offenses necessitated a lengthy prison sentence.

It was also revealed that Hunter was subject to a six-year sexual harm prevention order, which explicitly prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with children. This order was deemed essential given Hunter’s history and the nature of his offenses. The court noted that Hunter’s previous conviction for possessing child abuse images was a clear indicator of his persistent and dangerous behavior.

Hunter, aged 37 at the time of sentencing, had previously admitted to downloading indecent images, some of which depicted children who had been restrained, gagged, or masked. The court detailed that Hunter’s collection included a total of 39 Class A images—the highest classification of child abuse material—alongside 27 Class C images and an additional 2,226 images described as “borderline.” The children depicted in these images ranged in age from as young as two years old to 16 years old.

Prosecutor Duncan MacKenzie pointed out that Hunter’s offending “stimulated the demand for very young children to be subjected to extreme sexual violence,” highlighting the dangerous influence his actions could have on the demand for such material. Given Hunter’s prior conviction, the fiscal argued that he appeared “determined to persist” with his illegal activities, making the imposition of a strict prevention order and a custodial sentence necessary to protect the public.

Further details revealed that Hunter had purchased the device used to access these illicit images just one day after his previous license expired. The court noted a “striking resemblance” between this recent case and Hunter’s past offenses, underscoring a pattern of continued offending despite previous penalties.

During the hearing, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank described Hunter’s crimes as “extremely serious,” citing several “significantly aggravating factors,” including Hunter’s prior conviction, the short interval since his license expired, and the extreme nature of the images involved. The sheriff emphasized that the images depicted “horrendous abuse of young vulnerable children,” and expressed disappointment that Hunter’s previous custodial sentence had failed to deter him from reoffending.

In mitigation, Hunter’s defense attorney, Tommy Allan, presented reports indicating that Hunter was “genuinely ashamed” of his actions. Allan suggested that Hunter’s behavior might be viewed as a “cry for help,” especially considering that Hunter was under police supervision at the time of his latest offenses. The defense argued that Hunter recognized his conduct as “evil” and expressed a desire to seek help for what he described as an “addiction.” Allan emphasized that Hunter needed hope and support to break free from this cycle of offending, warning that otherwise, his life could become a “revolving door” of incarceration.

Despite these pleas, the court was clear that the gravity of Hunter’s crimes warranted a custodial sentence. Sheriff Cruickshank pointed out that Hunter’s offending spanned from October 2023 to August 2024, and although Hunter claimed he did not immediately start accessing the images, the court found the evidence of his continued involvement compelling.

As part of his sentence, Hunter was ordered to serve 28 months in prison, with the sentence backdated to August 27, 2024. Additionally, he was placed under a six-year sexual harm prevention order, which restricts his access to internet-enabled devices without police approval and prohibits him from using software that could conceal or delete his online activity. Hunter is also required to allow police searches of his devices, software, and internet history at any time without a warrant.

Upon release from prison, Hunter will serve an additional 18 months in the community and will remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which such offenses are treated and highlights the ongoing risks posed by individuals like Hunter, who continue to engage in illegal and harmful activities despite previous convictions.

In a related case from March 2022, Hunter, then aged 34, was sentenced to 19 months for similar offenses involving the possession of indecent images of children. Authorities found over 1,200 images, including many depicting children who had been kidnapped, tied up, and sexually abused. Hunter’s devices contained images dating back to 2005, and he had used search terms such as “kidnapped little girl,” indicating a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior. His repeated searches and the volume of illegal material underscored the seriousness of his offending and the need for strict legal action.