WILLIAM BUCHAN PERTH CHILD IMAGES OFFENDER CAUGHT WITH NEW BANK CARD FAILS TO COMPLY WITH SEX OFFENDERS LAW
In a recent court hearing at Perth Sheriff Court, William Buchan, a 54-year-old man from Perth, faced serious allegations related to his previous conviction for possessing indecent images of children.The court proceedings revealed that Buchan had been convicted in February 2016 and subsequently placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of ten years due to his involvement with hundreds of disturbing images depicting minors.
On December 6 of the previous year, police officers conducted an unannounced visit to Buchan’s residence located on North Methven Street in Perth.
The officers’ visit was part of routine checks and investigations into compliance with the Sexual Offences Act.
During their search, they discovered a recently-issued bank card that Buchan had failed to disclose to authorities, despite his obligations under the law to report any new financial instruments or contact details.
Despite Buchan’s insistence that the bank card, issued in August 2017, was not obtained for any malicious or illicit purpose, police noted that such a card could easily be used to access various internet sites, including those related to illegal activities.
Sheriff Gillian Wade emphasized the importance of transparency and compliance, pointing out that the card could be used to facilitate access to online content that might be linked to sex offenders’ activities.
Furthermore, Buchan was fined £500 after admitting that between August 1 and December 6, 2017, he failed to notify police within three days of acquiring the new bank card, breaching the notification requirements set out in the Sexual Offences Act.
The depute fiscal, Michael Sweeney, confirmed that police officers observed the bank card lying on a table during their visit.
When questioned about it, Buchan responded, “I thought I told you about all my cards,” indicating a possible misunderstanding or oversight regarding his legal obligations.
It was also revealed that Buchan had a history of previous convictions related to his work in the vehicle industry, having worked for a van and truck bodybuilding company near Glasgow.
His prior criminal record included a two-year prison sentence handed down in February 2016, related to his possession of indecent images of children.
The court noted that among the images found in his possession, some were classified as level four and level five, representing the most serious categories, with the total number of images reaching into the low hundreds.
This detail underscored the severity of his previous and ongoing violations of laws designed to protect minors from exploitation and abuse.
