Liam Brown, 22, of Braehead, was caught during Operation Alba, a joint police venture spearheaded by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency that was set-up to specifically target online paedophiles.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard that using technology, cops had identified Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, where sexual abuse images had been downloaded.

One of the IP addresses led them to applying for a search warrant, which was granted, for a flat in Renton.

When officers attended at the property on December 2 2011, Brown’s aunt was oblivious to what was going on but she directed them to a laptop that she said her nephew, who had stayed with her for a time, had used.

Brown was later interviewed by police officers and pled guilty to charges that he downloaded images from March 13 2010 to December 23 2011 at the flat in Renton and at his home address in Bonhill.

Police who carried out the investigation discovered Brown had downloaded over 600 images.

Deferring sentence until September 10, Sheriff Raymond McMenamin said: “In view of the nature of the charges to which you have pled guilty, I am required to call for reports.”