A HELENSBURGH man who had more than 130,000 indecent images of children has been branded a sex offender for life.

Kieran Webster, 23, was jailed for his extreme crimes after being assessed as posing a “very high risk” of reoffending.

A psychologist even recommended he be banned from any internet access at all when he is eventually released.

Webster pleaded guilty in June to taking or permitting to be taken or to making indecent photos or pseudo-photos of children between February 18, 2019 and February 22, 2021.

He further admitted possession of such images between the same dates, and also breached a bail order from November 6 by failing to produce devices to officers when requested.

Webster appeared from custody at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week after a psychological assessment was carried out to determine how he could be dealt with.

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Amongst the images on his devices at a property in the town’s Buchanan Road were thousands of pictures and videos at the most serious category A rating.

Children under the age of one year and up to age 15 were depicted.

Defence solicitor Keith Tuck admitted there was little he could say in mitigation.

He said: “I think this young man needs to be monitored and more than monitored.”

And Sheriff William Gallacher said he was struggling with how to sentence Webster.

Noting the range of material, the number of devices and images, he said: “He is in the higher levels in terms of gravity.

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“We are in charges that bring us up to potentially 10 years [in prison].

“We are in serious territory.”

Other factors the sheriff said he had to consider were Webster’s young age, his eventual release from prison, as well as national sentencing guidelines.

Sheriff Gallacher said he did not intend to impose a sentence that left Webster with a sense his “own potential is worthless”.

He told Webster: “This was horrible. These were disgraceful images. The impact on those involved is life-long.

“But I’m not, at the age you are, willing to write you off.”

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After a period off the bench to consider the punishment, Sheriff Gallacher told Webster he had “not been willing to confront” his crimes and the impact they had.

And he said he was not sure a straight jail sentence would adequately protect the public from “serious harm” upon his release.

Webster, he said, poses a “very high risk of reoffending” and requires supervision.

A total sentence of 66 months was imposed. The first 30 of that will be in jail, and then there will be a three-year extended sentence.

There will also be a five-year sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) which includes a ban on any contact with anyone under the age of 16.

He must also tell his supervising officer if he starts a relationship with someone.

The psychologist recommended a total ban from the internet but Sheriff Gallacher said this was extreme in the modern world and instead ordered that any online use be strictly monitored.

Webster will remain on the sex offenders register for life.

The sheriff added his sentence was moderated “in the hope you can change”.