Iraq War Veteran Jailed for Child Sex Abuse Images

A former Iraq War veteran has been jailed for possessing and distributing child sex abuse images. Thomas Brankin, a 44-year-old father of two from Inverclyde, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after being found guilty of the offenses.

Brankin, who served in the RAF and worked as a private bodyguard in war-torn countries, was discovered to have been downloading and storing indecent images of children as young as one over a seven-year period. The material was found on a laptop hidden in his bedroom, which he claimed others had access to. However, a jury found him guilty after hearing evidence of deliberate internet searches for the abuse images.

During the trial, the court heard that Brankin used depraved terms in his searches and that he showed limited remorse for his actions. Sheriff Joseph Hughes, who imposed the sentence, stated that the crimes were "serious" and that "only a custodial sentence is proportionate."

Brankin has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years. His post-military career is now in ruins, and he faces a difficult future.