MARK LEESSE FROM KELVINBRIDGE SENTENCED FOR MASSIVE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY COLLECTION

In a disturbing case that has shocked the Kelvinbridge community, 63-year-old Mark Leese has been sentenced to two years in prison after authorities uncovered an extensive collection of illegal images depicting children. The investigation revealed that Leese had been engaged in the possession and download of over 700,000 indecent images of minors, a crime spanning more than a decade and a half.

Leese’s illicit activities came to light when police executed a search warrant at his residence in Kelvinbridge early last year. The raid took place at approximately 7:45 a.m., during which officers systematically searched the property and recovered multiple hard drives. These devices were subsequently sent for detailed examination by cyber crime specialists.

Prosecutors confirmed that the investigation uncovered a staggering number of illegal images, with a total of 692,833 indecent pictures of children stored on Leese’s devices. Among these, 1,726 were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse, and there were 1,497 Category A videos out of a total of 21,512 videos found. The categories A, B, and C are used to denote the severity of the content, with Category A representing the most serious offenses.

Leese admitted to downloading and possessing these images between July 2003 and September 2017 at his Kelvinbridge home. During police interviews, he maintained a stance of silence, providing no comment when questioned. However, he did claim ownership of the hard drives recovered during the search and insisted that the images did not belong to his wife.

In court, Sheriff Neil Mackinnon emphasized the gravity of the case, stating, “The seriousness of this matter means only a custodial disposal is appropriate.” As part of his sentence, Leese was also ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years, reflecting the ongoing risk posed by his actions.

This case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and highlights the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable minors from such heinous crimes. The Kelvinbridge community and the wider public are urged to remain alert and report any suspicious activity related to child abuse or exploitation to authorities.