A Hopeman man is beginning a four and a half year jail sentence after the High Court in Edinburgh learned he had stored over 300,000 child porn images and videos on his home computer.
Paul Hirst, 59, had been sent to the High Court for sentencing after a sheriff in Elgin had ruled his offence as being of too serious a nature for the local court to deal with.
When he appeared before the court on Friday judge Lord Brailsford heard that police found 306,978 images and 3471 videos on Hirst’s computer that showed children being sexually abused.
Last night police welcomed the jail sentence for crimes they said had “horrendous” implications for victims.
The court was told how Hirst, of New Street in Hopeman, began collecting the images in 2007 and continued doing so until his police raided his home following a tip-off in 2012. When he appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court earlier this year he admitted possession of child pornography.
In his defence advocate Bill Adam told the court that his client was “full of remorse” for what he had done and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Passing sentence Judge Brailsford, who also ordered Hirst to be supervised for three and a half years after his release from jail, said: “I take into account that you have previously been of good character and have no previous convictions.
“I also take into account that you have a good work record – these are mitigating factors. However, I must send you to prison.”
Speaking after the sentence was passed Detective Inspector Norman Stevenson paid tribute to those who assisted in the investigation.
He said: “Paul Hirst was caught in possession of an extremely high number of very distressing images. This type of crime is despicable and has horrendous implications for victims.
“I would like to pay tribute to those who assisted in the investigation to help us in bringing this appalling individual to justice.”