Kieran Webster jailed for having indecent photos of children

Kieran Webster was locked up after admitting possession of 28,000 indecent images on three devices - with more than 1,000 of them in the most serious category.

Webster had been jailed for a previous similar offence in 2021, when he was caught in possession of more than 130,000 horrific images of children at an address in the town's Buchanan Road.

At the time, he was assessed as posing a ‘very high risk’ of reoffending.

He was handed a total sentence of 66 months for that offence, with the first 30 months in custody, and was told he would be on 'supervised release' for a further three years after being let out of prison.

He was also made the subject of a five-year sexual offences prevention order (SOPO).

The High Court in Edinburgh, where judges reduced Kieran Webster's sentence for his previous offence in which he amassed a haul of more than 130,000 indecent images of children. (Image: Newsquest) But a year later, two judges at the High Court quashed the supervision element of his sentence after expert reports said he posed a "low risk" to the community - and after his defence advocate described the 2021 imposition of an extended sentence as "incompetent".

That was despite the judges' ruling including the revelation that Webster had told a social worker assigned to his case that he "would like to kill someone as he would 'find it funny to watch them suffer'".

At his sentencing hearing for the latest offence, Webster's solicitor told a court hearing that the 26-year-old was now aware of the seriousness of his actions and understood the consequences.

This time, Webster was jailed for 22 months and put under supervision for 10 years.

READ MORE: Helensburgh sex offender's sentence reduced on appeal as defence says totality of punishment was 'excessive'

He will also remain on the sex offenders list indefinitely.

Webster pleaded guilty to the latest offences in August, and was due to be sentenced last month, but had to wait to find out his fate after social workers were unable to produce a background report in time.

He was finally sentenced at Greenock Sheriff Court last week. 

Webster's defence lawyer Keith Tuck told Sheriff James Varney: "In the rather bleak [social work] report, there was a suggestion of a failure of Mr Webster to understand his behaviour.

"He knows that he has done wrong and it is a serious matter."

Sheriff Varney pointed out that according to the social worker who prepared the background report, Webster had said he got "some sort of thrill" from sorting out the images.

Mr Tuck added: "What he was trying to articulate was that he finds a thrill in becoming involved in something that he really shouldn't be involved in.

Greenock Sheriff Court, where Kieran Webster was sentenced. (Image: Newsquest) "But he has looked at these images, of that there is no doubt, and there is no trying to disguise that."

The court was told that Webster had been responding to social work supervision while living in Dunoon after his release from prison in August 2022.

But when locals found out Webster's background, he was attacked, and ended up returning to Helensburgh.

His lawyer said: "He is an isolated man, and had only his grandparents in Helensburgh.

"But he was moved to Dunoon, because his address where he would have moved back to was in close proximity to a school.

"There was no offending in Dunoon. But when he returned to Helensburgh, as a result of distance, the level of contact with his supervision officers diminished considerably."

READ MORE: Helensburgh man pleads guilty to having 28,000 indecent images of children on three devices

In August, Webster admitted to taking, permitting to be taken, or making, indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children at an address in Helensburgh between February 16 and October 19, 2023.

His lawyer added: "This offending behaviour returned and he has to face the consequences of that. He doesn't want to shy away from it and knows he needs help."

Under the Scottish Sentencing Council's guidelines, Webster was sentenced to 697 days in prison, including a reduction of a month for his guilty plea and accounting for time he has already spent on remand.

He will now serve 218 days under section 16 of the Sexual Offences Act and then a further 297 days behind bars.

Sheriff Varney said there was nothing left to be said about the nature of the offences, given that it was the second occurrence of such a serious matter.