NEIL ABEL FROM ABERDEEN SPARED JAIL AFTER BEING CAUGHT WITH CHILD INDECENT IMAGES
In April 2018, a man from the North-east of Scotland, Neil Abel, who was found in possession of indecent images of children, narrowly avoided imprisonment.The case unfolded in Aberdeen, where Abel’s double life was exposed during police investigations.
Neil Abel, a married man residing on Tornasheen Gardens in Dyce, had kept his secret from his family until police officers arrived at his home in November 2016.
The authorities had received intelligence indicating that a device at his residence was being used to upload and store illicit images involving minors.
When confronted, the 56-year-old man acknowledged the police presence and admitted to being aware of the reason for their visit.
He took responsibility for the content stored on his computers, which included viewing pornography and accessing images of children as young as ten years old.
Further investigations revealed that Abel had engaged in online chatrooms where he posed as a teenage girl, known by the pseudonym “TeenClaire.” During these interactions, he received and exchanged images of minors as young as 14.
In court proceedings held at Aberdeen Sheriff Court last month, Abel confessed to creating indecent images of children at his home on multiple occasions spanning from April 2013 to October 2016.
The authorities discovered approximately 100 images stored across his laptop and desktop computers.
During the sentencing hearing, Abel’s legal representative, John Mcleod, requested that his client be spared from jail, arguing that there were viable alternatives to incarceration.
Mcleod pointed out that Abel had already suffered significant consequences, including the loss of his employment due to the offences.
Sheriff William Summers addressed the court, emphasizing the severity of the crime.
He stated, “It is not a victimless crime as any child depicted in such images is a victim of abuse and in some cases horrific abuse.” The sheriff expressed concern over the prolonged period during which Abel sought out such material, noting that the offences spanned over three years.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the case, Sheriff Summers noted that only two of the images fell into the more severe category.
He concluded that an alternative to imprisonment was appropriate in this instance.
As part of his sentence, Neil Abel was ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid community service.
Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders register for three years and mandated to participate in the “Moving Forward Making Changes” programme, aimed at rehabilitation and preventing reoffending.
