Man sentenced for sexual offences against children

A man has been sentenced to four years and 11 months in prison after being convicted of offences relating to indecent images of children and sexual offending against children.

Gary John Burns, 47, was sentenced at Stirling Sheriff Court today, Wednesday, 14 September, 2022.

Detective Inspector Adrian Ure, National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “The nature and significant extent of Gary Burns’ sexual offending was utterly appalling. In committing these crimes against child victims, and by accessing this material online, he is part of the process of child sexual abuse. He is directly responsible for creating demand which contributes to the dreadful sexual abuse and suffering of the children in the images and videos he was viewing. There is no hiding place for these offenders, and as a result of our extensive investigation, he will now rightly face a significant custodial sentence and the consequences of his actions.

“Any form of child sexual abuse is a serious criminal offence and is a priority for Police Scotland. We encourage anyone with concerns about a child at risk of abuse, or a potential victim, to contact police immediately.”