No cut in sentence for child abuse images teacher

A teacher who downloaded graphic images of child abuse has failed in a bid to have his prison sentence cut.

Blair Paton, 39, who had been a technical studies teacher in the Aberdeen area, was given a 12-month jail term in July.

Paton, of Burntisland, Fife, had admitted possessing 1,700 abuse images.

At the Court of Criminal Appeal on Tuesday, judges refused an appeal against the sentence.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court had heard how more than 200 of the images depicted the most serious sexual abuse of children.

Some of the children captured in the images were as young as five.

Sheriff Ian Wallace told Paton that jail was the only disposal available to him.

It was argued at the Court of Criminal Appeal that Sheriff Wallace should not have sent him to prison.

Advocate John Brannigan told the virtual hearing that there were "mitigating factors" and a non-custodial sentence could have been imposed.

Mr Brannigan told the court that Paton's marriage had broken down and he had lost his teaching career.

He also told the court that Paton had undergone work with a specialist charity to tackle why he downloaded child abuse images.

However, Lord Doherty, who sat with colleague Lord Matthews, said that Sheriff Wallace was correct to send Paton to prison.

He said: "In our opinion the sheriff took all of these matters into account. The offending was serious.

"We are not persuaded that a custodial sentence was not necessary nor are we are convinced that the headline sentence was excessive."