Ex-prosecutor Stuart MacFarlane sentenced over images
A former prosecutor has been given a community payback order for downloading indecent images of children.
Stuart MacFarlane, 45, from Glasgow, was caught with almost 15,000 images at his former family home in Eaglesham, East Renfrewshire, on 28 December 2012.
He was ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and accept counselling after pleading guilty to the charge.
In 2006, a case against the ex-depute procurator fiscal was dropped after he was allegedly caught with a prostitute.
Imposing a three-year community payback order, Sheriff James Spy told MacFarlane he had decided to allow him to continue with counselling treatment which had already been under way for nine months.
He ordered the former prosecutor to attend a project to assist with sex offender rehabilitation and to accept all psychiatric and psychological input as directed.
The sheriff warned: "Regarding internet access, you will keep a readable internet history on your computer for inspection by any officer either at home or by surrender of the computer for examination.
"I intend to hold regular reviews, the first of which will take place in eight weeks' time in order to monitor your progress."
Sheriff Spy warned MacFarlane that if he was found to be in breach of any of the conditions put in place, he would inevitably face imprisonment.
An earlier hearing was told how police, acting under a search warrant, searched MacFarlane's then family home in Eaglesham at the end of last year.'
They seized two laptops and an external hard drive from an outside shed, which had a plaque outside saying "Dad's Den".
After the computer equipment had been fully analysed, it was discovered there were almost 15,000 still images.
Some showed children posing alone, others showed sexual activity between children and adults, while others featured an animal.
The girls involved in the images are thought to have ranged from three to 14 years of age.
MacFarlane, who now lives in Mount Florida, Glasgow, later admitted downloading the images between March and December last year.