WICK MAN MARTIN ADAM KULA SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY INVERNESS AND TAIN

A sheriff expressed profound disbelief at the depravity involved in the case of Martin Adam Kula, a man formerly residing in Tongue and now living in Wick, who was brought before Inverness Sheriff Court to face serious charges related to the possession of indecent images and videos involving children.

During the court proceedings on Tuesday, Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald listened as the details of the investigation were laid bare. It was revealed that officers from the National Child Abuse Investigation unit executed a raid on Kula’s previous residence in Tongue on July 27 of the previous year. The search yielded a significant cache of illicit material, including hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. Devices seized during the operation included two mobile phones, a laptop, and a USB memory stick.

The prosecution, led by Fiscal depute Robert Weir, explained that an initial forensic examination of these devices uncovered a disturbing collection of material. Among the files were several hundred images, some involving children as young as just one year old. Kula, aged 40, admitted to possessing this graphic and disturbing content and also to failing to provide the PIN code for one of his phones, which hindered further investigation. As a result, the court deferred sentencing to allow for a comprehensive background report to be prepared.

Further forensic analysis revealed the extent of the material stored on Kula’s devices. A total of 39 videos categorized as Category A—denoting the most obscene and disturbing content—along with six inaccessible videos, were identified. Additionally, 182 still images were recovered, with 14 of these being inaccessible. In Category B, there were 32 videos and nine inaccessible videos, accompanied by 34 still images, two of which were inaccessible. The investigation also uncovered 136 videos in Category C, along with 73 inaccessible videos, plus 30 still images and five inaccessible images. The sheer volume and nature of this material underscore the severity of the offense.

Kula’s defense solicitor, advocate Clare Russell, acknowledged her client’s efforts to address his offending. She stated, “He has done a significant amount of work to address his offending. In fact, I have never seen an individual carry out as much work.” Russell emphasized that Kula had shown remorse and suggested that a community payback order could be an appropriate response to his actions.

However, Sheriff Macdonald issued a stern warning, emphasizing the gravity of the crimes. She stated, “These are foul videos and images of real children with real lives who were hurt and their lives damaged. I always find it unfathomable how anyone can take pleasure out of seeing very young children being harmed in this way.”

As part of his sentence, Kula was ordered to complete 291 hours of unpaid community work. He was also placed under social work supervision for a period of three years and mandated to participate in the “Moving Forward Making Changes” rehabilitation program. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offender’s register for the same duration, reflecting the serious nature of his offenses and the ongoing risk they pose to the community.