Unpaid work for therapist caught with child abuse images

Kieran Docherty - a registered counsellor who advertised himself as a £40 an hour therapist for cases of trauma, sexual abuse and “sexual issues” - was caught after his home was raided last July.

Dundee Sheriff Court previously heard Docherty and his wife were told they were both being detained on suspicion of downloading the horror pictures.

They depicted young boys aged between two and 14, some showing children involved in “penetrative sexual contact” with adults.

At that point Docherty said: “If there’s any pornography it will be mine.”

Fiscal depute Saima Rasheed told the court: “In July last year it was discovered that someone at the address was in possession of indecent images of children.

“The accused and his wife were traced there and were questioned separately.

“The accused was asked about computers he had and said there was a PC, a Mac and an iPad.

“A preview examination of the computer revealed 20 indecent images on it.

“Both the accused and his wife were told they would be detained and at that he said ‘if there’s any pornography it will be mine’.

“When asked about the possession of indecent images he made no comment.

“An examination of all his equipment revealed a total of 101 images, 70 of which were unique.

“That included 21 at category A - the most serious level - which depicts penetrative sexual contact with adults.

“The children in the images ranged in ages from two to 14.”

Docherty (62), of Coach Road, Newburgh, pleaded guilty on indictment to taking or making indecent photographs of children at his home address on July 28 last year.

Defence solicitor Ross Donnelly said: “He is clearly an intelligent man who has a good understanding of the severity of the offence and a broader understanding of the effect the commission of the offence has on other people.”

Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC imposed a community payback order with 180 hours unpaid work, two years’ supervision and conditions around his conduct during that period.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for two years.

Sheriff Drummond said: “You are a first offender and the case is at the lower end of the scale and I can impose a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody.”