A FIRST-time offender has confessed to having dozens of indecent images of children at his former home in Old Kilpatrick.

Graham McDade was caught with 35 images of child exploitation on several of his devices in his former flat on Freelands Road between July 26 and September 7 last year.

Fiscal depute Emma Petterson told Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week that police received intelligence images had been accessed from McDade’s property.

Then on August 8 last year police obtained and executed a search warrant where the 53-year-old was found home alone.

During the search a number of items were seized for examination, which included a laptop found in the living room and two USB memory sticks found in the bedroom.

On one of the USB sticks were three of the lowest category C images of children that were aged around five years old. The second USB did not contain any images of children on it.

Forensic examination also found three images at the most serious category A of child abuse, 25 images of category B images and four of category C on his laptop.

Ms Petterson told the court that the children involved in these images were aged between five and 13.

During the hearing on August 2 ,McDade, now of Rosneath Caravan Park, pleaded guilty to taking or permitting to be taken photos or pseudo photos of children. He also admitted possession of images or pseudo photos of children on the same dates.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry was told McDade had no previous convictions so he called for social work reports and a restriction assessment.

He said: “You pleaded guilty to very serious charges. You don’t have a record of criminal offending. All that means effectively is that the court has to think about everything conceivable sentencing option.”

Sentencing has been deferred until later this month for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty order assessment when he will learn his fate.

In the meantime, he was put on the sex offenders register, and his bail was continued until then.

A spokesperson from Rosneath Caravan park told the Reporter: "The individual is not a resident at the park and this is not his permanent address.

"He owned a holiday home at the park and as soon as the park became aware of the police investigation he was served notice with immediate effect.”