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Man Avoids Prison for Accessing Child Abuse Images

A 42-year-old man, Marcus Marriott, from Dunrossness, has been placed under supervision for three years after accessing 30 indecent photographs of children. The offense occurred between September 12th and December 8th of last year at an address in Brae.

Marriott was sentenced at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday. Defence agent Tommy Allan stated that his client viewed his behavior as an addiction. Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie revealed the offense involved 30 thumbnail images, with seven categorized as Category A (most severe), 14 as Category B, and nine as Category C.

Allan further explained that the offending occurred during a challenging period in Marriott's personal life. He views this as an addiction and this is a lapse, he said. Since that time he's sought help to address the problem.

Allan acknowledged the seriousness of the offense but emphasized Marriott's willingness to address the issue and his lack of secrecy about his problem. He stressed Marriott's motivation to change.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank, after considering all factors including the severity of the offense and mitigating circumstances, determined that imprisonment was not the only option. I consider that there's a direct alternative to a custodial sentence and that is by imposing a community payback order, he said.

In addition to the three-year supervision period, Marriott was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, participate in the Moving Forward: Making Changes program, and register as a sex offender for three years. The device involved in the offense was forfeited.