Judges increase paedophile's sentence by 13 times

A convicted paedophile who distributed indecent images of children has had his six-month sentence increased by almost 13 times by appeal judges.

David Graham, from Airdrie, was jailed last October for downloading more than 127,000 indecent pictures and clips and for abusing a boy and grooming others.

The Crown appealed against the sentence relating to the images, arguing that it was unduly lenient.

His six-month sentence has now been increased to six years and four months.

The 22-year-old had also previously been ordered to serve a further 18 months for an indecency offence against a young boy and for grooming two children with the intention of abusing them.

The court heard he befriended one boy on internet gaming site X-Box Live.

The appeal against the original sentence for downloading and distributing the indecent images was heard at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh.

Lord Justice Clerk, Lord Gill, who heard the appeal along with Lady Paton and Lord Hardie, said: "I consider that the requirements of punishment, denunciation and general deterrence are paramount in a case of this nature.

"Viewing, downloading and distributing indecent images of children is part of the process of child sexual abuse.

"Each photograph represents the serious abuse of the child depicted."