VINCENT SHANNON OF BROUGHTY FERRY SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN DUNDEE

In a serious case brought before Dundee Sheriff Court, Vincent Shannon, a 48-year-old resident of Lawrence Street in Broughty Ferry, faced charges related to the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. The court heard that Shannon had engaged in highly disturbing online activities, including accessing numerous paedophile websites and creating explicit content involving minors.

According to court records, Shannon admitted to accessing paedophile websites, including some hosted in Russia, over 8,000 times. These activities spanned from February 6, 2016, to July 31, 2017. During this period, he downloaded and viewed a significant number of indecent images and videos, some of which were classified in the highest category of severity. Specifically, Shannon produced 29 indecent videos, with two of these classified as Category A, and these videos collectively lasted over three hours. Additionally, he created 1,050 still images, 110 of which were categorized as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse.

Evidence presented by the prosecution revealed that police officers, acting on intelligence, visited Shannon’s residence at St Dennis Terrace in the St Mary’s area on August 1. During the investigation, it was discovered that Shannon’s laptop contained file-sharing software called Shareaza, which had been downloaded and installed by him. The device also had a Tor Browser installed, a tool used to maintain online anonymity, making it more difficult for authorities to trace his activities. The analysis of his internet history showed that Shannon had accessed a Russian website used for hosting and sharing indecent images of children more than 8,000 times. This website was accessed between February 6, 2016, and July 31, 2017.

Further examination of the device uncovered 200 indecent images of children, all containing the website’s name, created between April 15, 2017, and May 18, 2017. The investigation also revealed that Shannon had actively used Google to search for images of abuse since January 29, 2016, and had utilized YouTube from February 7, 2016, onwards. The evidence indicated that he had actively searched for and downloaded explicit images and videos involving children estimated to be between the ages of approximately 2 and 14 years old.

Shannon was charged with taking or permitting the taking of indecent photographs of children, as well as making such images, at his residence on St Dennis Terrace, between January 12, 2016, and August 1, 2017. The court heard that these actions represented a serious breach of trust and a grave violation of the safety and dignity of minors.

Sentencing was deferred until April 5 to allow for the preparation of reports, but in the meantime, Sheriff Alastair Carmichael ordered Shannon to be placed on the sex offenders register for a period of ten years. Additionally, in April 2018, Sheriff Carmichael sentenced Shannon to 11 months in prison for his offenses, emphasizing the severity of his crimes and the importance of protecting vulnerable children from such exploitation.