February 7, 2017
Scotland

Wind turbines manager caught with 20,000 child abuse images

Turbine boss had 20,000 abuse images | BBC News | 7 February 2017 | www.bbc.com

A former wind turbine boss caught with more than 20,000 child abuse images has been told by a sheriff that a prison sentence is “extremely likely.”

Company manager John Spink’s computer equipment also contained more than 100 videos of children being abused.

Spink, 45, of Arbroath, was sacked when the offences came to light. He will be sentenced on 20 March.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register.

The court heard that Spink, who has a previous conviction for assault to severe injury, had computer equipment seized by police following a tip-off.

A forensic examination revealed more than 20,000 still images and more than 100 videos of child abuse, some at the most severe level, as well as two “extreme pornography” videos of bestiality.
‘Extreme pornography’

Fiscal depute Kirsten Letford told Dundee Sheriff Court: “The accused is employed as a manager for a wind turbine company and works abroad for periods.

“He has four previous convictions, none analogous to this but one on indictment for assault to severe injury that resulted in a £3,000 fine and £2,000 compensation.”

Ms Letford said the child abuse material was recovered from a laptop, a tablet and a computer hard drive.

Spink admitted downloading indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography at his home between April 2015 and February 2016.

Defence solicitor Nicola Brown said: “He lost his employment as a result of this offence coming to light.”

Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence for social work background reports and released Spink on bail.

He said: “This is quite a serious example of this type of offence in terms of the number of images.

“It appears to me that a custodial disposal is extremely likely.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/02/07/wind-turbines-manager-caught-with-20000-child-abuse-images/