Sex offender collapses in court after being jailed

Ruaridh Swanson committed the offences over a period which lasted almost nine years when he was living in Dunfermline.

The offences involved almost 2000 vile images including the rape of young children.

Swanson, 30, now of Barnton Park Avenue, Edinburgh, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He previously admitted that between 21 December 2012 and 26 August 2020 at Abercrombie Place, Dunfermline, he downloaded indecent images of children.

He also admitted that on 21 December 2012 he distributed or showed indecent images of children.

Defence solicitor Aime Allan said that her client had been unemployed, lived with his parents and had no previous convictions on his record.

Referring to the offending, she said that Swanson “admits there is a sexual attraction there.”

Sheriff Charles Macnair pointed out that almost 2000 images were involved and that Swanson began offending when he was 21 then continued for another eight years.

The sheriff added that some of the images were in the top category ‘A’ which included “young children being raped”.

He went on: “These are not victimless crimes. The victims are the young children shown in the images.”

The sheriff jailed Swanson, who then keeled over in the dock.

However, a custody officer quickly got him back on his feet, handcuffed him and Swanson was then led away in tears.

He has also been put on the sex offenders’ register.