IRVINE MAN STEPHEN LE ROY CAUGHT WITH INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN IN KILMARNOCK COURT

In November 2019, an incident involving a man from Irvine, identified as Stephen Le Roy, came to light when authorities uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images of children stored on his electronic devices. The case was brought before Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, revealing the disturbing details of his possession and distribution of such material.

Police executed a search at Le Roy’s residence located in Parkside, Bourtreehill, on January 12. During the search, officers seized two mobile phones belonging to him. An examination of these devices uncovered a total of 497 images and 94 videos that were inaccessible but of an indecent nature. In addition to these, three images were found that could be viewed directly. The videos alone amounted to approximately two and a half hours of footage, highlighting the extent of the material stored on his devices.

During police interviews, Le Roy admitted to the possession of the indecent content. He explained to officers that he “thought the children looked cute,” a statement that drew significant concern from the authorities. The fiscal depute outlined to the court that Le Roy was aware of the illegality of possessing such material, yet he continued to do so. Evidence also indicated that Le Roy had sent these images to others via email, further implicating him in the distribution of illegal content.

Le Roy’s legal representative stated that he was a working man who had complied with bail conditions throughout the investigation. Despite this, Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane ordered that Le Roy be registered on the sex offenders register. The court also deferred sentencing to allow for the preparation of reports, emphasizing the seriousness of the charges and the need for further assessment before a final judgment.