April 2020: Now working as security in Lidl Carfin/New Stevenson November 2012 ‘Serious collector’ of child abuse images goes behind bars A paedophile branded a ‘serious collector’ of child sexual abuse images has been given a six-year extended sentence after he was caught with thousands of indecent images. Ross Bowman (21), of Airbles Tower, Motherwell, (known online as Boylove1995) was jailed for 20 months at Hamilton Sheriff Court. But Sheriff Douglas Brown warned he will be kept under close watch for four years and four months after his release from prison. The sheriff told Bowman: “Those who access these images contribute to the pain and discomfort of the children and the pyschological harm that results from knowing others have had a perverted pleasure at looking at them.” Bowman admitted having more than 6,000 indecent pictures and 211 movie clips featuring child sexual abuse Police raided his family’s home in October last year after an operation involving officers north and south of the border. Computer equipment, including his laptop, was seized. The indecent material was analysed and 700 images were ranked in either category 5 – the most graphic – or category 4. Sheriff Brown said a jail sentence had to be imposed. What made the situation particularly serious was that Bowman had made nearly 1,500 images – some in category 4 – available for others to view over a three-month period. Sheriff Brown added: “An aggravating factor is that images were stored in a highly organised file system involving a high level of personal interest. “The background report in very unfavourable terms suggests you are a serious collector of indecent images and the perception is your behaviour is almost obsessive. There is an obvious public protection concern.” Bowman was told he will be on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.