ROBERT JACKSON FROM NEW CUMNOCK CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN MAUCHLINE AND KILMARNOCK

In December 2017, a man from New Cumnock, identified as Robert Jackson, faced serious allegations after being found in possession of and distributing indecent images of children. Jackson, who resides in Mount Hope, New Cumnock, admitted to the offence of sharing and showing such disturbing material via a mobile application. The incident in question took place on May 13, 2016, at Welton Road in Mauchline, a small town in East Ayrshire.

Jackson appeared before Sheriff Mhari MacTaggart at Ayr Sheriff Court last week to answer to these charges. The case was brought to light after a series of investigations initiated by local police authorities. According to the prosecution, the initial discovery was made when a passenger on the X76 bus traveling from Kilmarnock Bus Station to Mauchline noticed a male passenger disembark at a stop in Mauchline. This individual left behind a blue mobile phone, which had run out of battery. The passenger, concerned about the device, took it home to charge it in hopes of identifying its owner.

Once the phone was charged, the individual found a video that was deeply disturbing. The footage depicted a woman dressed in pyjamas dancing, while a young boy, estimated to be between seven and nine years old, was seen grabbing the woman by her hips. The video then showed the woman pushing the boy and attempting to pull down his trousers, revealing parts of his body. Recognizing the seriousness of the content, the phone was handed over to Cumnock Police Station for further investigation.

During the police inquiry, detectives uncovered another video stored on the device. This second clip was even more disturbing, showing a naked male individual with a two-year-old child, engaging in inappropriate touching of the child's private parts. Further investigations revealed that both videos had been shared via the messaging app WhatsApp, under a specific username. The police traced this username back to Jackson through the Facebook application found on his phone.

Authorities detained Jackson after confirming his identity and his connection to the device. During questioning, Jackson admitted that the WhatsApp username belonged to him and acknowledged that he had left his phone on the bus. When asked about the videos, he claimed that he had received them through WhatsApp and had forwarded them to others, believing he had deleted the content from his device. Jackson’s actions and possession of such material prompted the court to consider the severity of the case.

As the proceedings continued, Sheriff MacTaggart decided to defer sentencing for Jackson. The court ordered a comprehensive risk assessment and a criminal justice social work report to be prepared. Additionally, Jackson was required to register as a sex offender, in accordance with legal obligations. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the distribution of child abuse images and protect vulnerable victims from exploitation.