VICTOR MACDONALD OF DEANE CAUGHT WITH VILE CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN SHOCKING POLICE REVEAL

In July 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Victor Macdonald, a resident of Deane, who was found to possess an extensive collection of indecent images depicting young children being abused. The revelation came after a seemingly innocent act of helping a friend with her business led to the discovery of his disturbing online activity.

On March 29 of the previous year, Alison Mather, prosecuting at Bolton Crown Court, detailed how Macdonald’s friend visited his home in Runnymede Court, Deane, to assist him in writing a Facebook review for her enterprise. During this visit, Macdonald handed her his Samsung tablet to facilitate the process. However, what was intended as a simple gesture turned into a shocking revelation when the woman, upon clicking on the device’s photo gallery, was confronted with numerous images of child abuse. Her immediate reaction was one of horror and disgust, prompting her to photograph the illicit content and record a short video of the disturbing images.

Although she was appalled by what she saw, the woman had previously encountered similar images on Macdonald’s devices the year prior. At that time, she had dismissed the images as possibly being downloaded by mistake, choosing to give him the benefit of the doubt. However, the repeated exposure on March 29 made her realize that the situation was far more serious, leading her to report the matter to the police the very next day.

Law enforcement officials responded swiftly, visiting Macdonald’s residence in Deane. During police interviews, Macdonald claimed that he usually accessed adult content from sites based in the UK. He also stated that he had recently been on holiday in Barbados, and when he visited the same sites there, different images appeared. He suggested that he was unaware that the images he viewed were illegal, implying that he did not intentionally seek out illicit material.

Following a thorough analysis of his electronic devices, authorities uncovered a staggering total of 3,339 photographs of children involved in abuse. These images ranged from infants as young as six months old to children aged between four and six years. The images were categorized into different levels of severity: 666 in the most serious Category A, 347 in Category B, and 2,326 in Category C. Additionally, 164 prohibited images of children were found. The files had been downloaded over a period spanning from 2017 to 2020, with evidence indicating that Macdonald had used a cleaning program to delete traces of his activity.

Macdonald, a former fishmonger, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing prohibited images. His sentencing was handed down by Judge Graeme Smith, who sentenced him to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years. The court also imposed a fine of £300, ordered him to participate in 50 days of rehabilitation activities, and placed him on the sex offenders’ register for a period of 10 years. Furthermore, Macdonald was subject to a sexual harm prevention order, reflecting the serious nature of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.

Judge Smith addressed Macdonald directly, emphasizing the gravity of his actions and the suffering inflicted upon innocent children worldwide. The judge’s comments underscored the importance of accountability and the need to protect vulnerable victims from such heinous crimes.