Police Scotland welcomes sentencing for indecent images

Published 26 May 2020

Police Scotland acknowledges today's sentencing of Robert Nash, who has been handed 5 years imprisonment. Nash's sentencing follows his guilty plea in March at the High Court in Glasgow, in respect of possession and taking/making indecent images and videos of children.

Detective Inspector Richard Banks, National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, Police Scotland said:

"Nash's online behaviour was deplorable with no thought of the young victims depicted in the images and videos he was viewing. Nash believed that by committing these offences online his actions would be untraceable, however as a result of the enquiry undertaken he will now face the consequences of his actions.

"Child protection is a priority for Police Scotland and we will use the latest technologies and tactics to identify offenders, prevent offending and to protect children from sexual exploitation.

"The scale of child abuse and sexual exploitation offending online has grown in recent years. This increased demand on police, coupled with the need to keep up with advancements in technology and adapt our methods to detect and identify offenders, means it’s a challenging area for Police Scotland and police forces nationally. However, we remain committed to bringing those who commit child abuse offences online to justice, and protecting young people at risk.

"Any form of online child sexual abuse is a serious criminal offence. The Internet does not provide anonymity - there is no hiding place. Offenders will be caught, they will be arrested and they will face the consequences of their actions.

"We encourage anyone concerned about a child at risk of abuse or a potential victim, to contact Police immediately. Anyone who receives an unsolicited message which depicts child abuse should report it to police immediately so cation can be taken. Images of this nature should not be shared under any circumstances."