A paedophile, Alan Moir, who frequently photographed himself sexually assaulting a youngster was apprehended after cybercrime investigators identified his use of home WiFi to disseminate the material.
Alan Moir, 43, was apprehended following intelligence received from the National Online Child Abuse Prevention (NOCAP) organisation.
On Tuesday, the High Court in Edinburgh examined evidence that NOCAP had identified an Internet Protocol address disseminating child abuse material.
Investigators determined that the IP address was associated with Alan Moir’s residence in St Cyrus, Aberdeenshire.
The court was informed that investigators discovered the explicit content was disseminated via an app named Dropbox, tied to an email account associated with Moir.
This information resulted in the authorities acquiring a search warrant for Moir’s residence.
Authorities confiscated a mobile device from Alan Moir during a search of his residence on November 25, 2023.
A second handset was discovered in the top drawer of a cabinet in the main bedroom of his residence.
Upon inspection of the devices, officers discovered photographs of Alan Moir perpetrating sexual assault against a girl aged eight to nine.
Prosecutor William Frain-Bell KC informed Judge Lady Haldane that 1,663 inaccessible still photographs of abuse were discovered on the devices.
The narrative unfolded following Alan Moir’s admission of guilt to a charge of sexually assaulting a minor on two instances between January 1, 2018, and August 12, 2019. He also acknowledged a charge of allowing the creation or possession of indecent images or pseudo-photographs of children between May 1, 2018, and November 15, 2023.
An IP address is a distinct numerical identity allocated to each device or network within a computer network utilising the Internet Protocol.
Your device receives an IP address from the router on a Wi-Fi network, enabling communication inside the network and access to the Internet.
Mr. Frain-Bell informed Lady Haldane that the police apprehended Alan Moir and placed him in custody subsequent to the raid at the residence.
The accused underwent an interview. He conducted an interview with no comments.
During the police investigation, authorities discovered that Alan Moir had captured indecent photographs of another girl, estimated to be between 15 and 17 years old at the time.
Mr. Frain-Bell stated that there were more than 80 indecent images of Alan Moir’s initial victim and over 150 indecent “pseudo-photographs” of his subsequent victim.
The advocate depute stated: “There were more than 1,400 indecent images of other young girls aged between one and 13 years.”
The court was informed that Alan Moir was a first-time offender who had been employed in the oil and gas sector previous to his apprehension.
Defence counsel Gillian Ross KC informed Lady Haldane that, as her client was a first-time offender, the court was mandated to procure a report regarding Alan Moir’s past.
She additionally requested that her client be granted bail.
Ms. Ross stated, “Mr. Alan Moir acknowledges that a custodial sentence is a primary consideration for your ladyship; nonetheless, he requested bail.”
“He has never encountered any difficulties previously.” He has been employed in the oil and gas industry.
Lady Haldane denied Moir bail and ordered his continued detention. She additionally enrolled him in the Sex Offenders Register and requested a background report.
She stated, “These offences are exceedingly serious.” The creation of indecent photos of children constitutes a felony with significant repercussions and enduring impacts on the victims.
You have requested bail. Considering the severity of the acts to which you have confessed and the probable outcome, I have concluded that you should be detained in custody.
Alan Moir is scheduled for sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow on April 8, 2025.
UPDATE 11.04.25
A 43-year-old man has been jailed for four years for sexual offences in the Aberdeenshire area between 2018 and 2023.
Alan Moir pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh in March to a number of offences, including the sexual assault of a child as well as taking and distributing indecent images, between January, 2018 and November, 2023.
He was sentenced on Tuesday, 8 April, 2025, at the same court.
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