Man to be Sentenced over Child Porn

An Aberdeen man has appeared in court after admitting to having over 40,000 indecent images of children.

44-year-old Ian Hardie was found at his home in Formartine Road with 42,318 pornographic photographs of children.

Hardie has also been accused of taking, or allowing pornographic photos of children to be taken, but has pleaded not guilty and this has been accepted by the Crown.

Sheriff Malcolm Garden has postponed sentencing for background reports and this includes a restriction of liberty assessment.

The 44-year-old has been placed on the sex offenders register until he returns to court for sentencing on April 21.

Hardie’s solicitor, Peter Shepherd, has also requested a medical report because his client has previously suffered from depression.

A second Aberdeen man has also been placed on the register of sex offenders after admitting to possessing indecent photographs of children.

Robert Ratter, 36, admitted being in possession of pornographic images between October 7, 2005 and December 13, 2007.

Ratter faced charges between 2003 and 2007 of taking indecent images of children, but his not guilty plea was accepted by the Crown.

Sherriff Garden has also deferred sentence in this case until Ratter returns to court on April 14.