IT expert had child porn stash

AN IT consultant was found with a hoard of more than half a million child pornography pictures after a friend went to tidy up his flat in the Capital as a favour, a court heard.

When forensic experts analysed Yeoman Smith's computers they discovered footage of him carrying out a sex act in front of a five-year-old girl.

The High Court in Edinburgh yesterday heard 581,649 still images and 1884 moving indecent images of children were recovered from equipment and discs at Smith's home.

Advocate depute Gillian More told the court that some of the images featured children as young as a few months old.

Self-employed IT expert Smith, 35, admitted possessing the indecent photos at his home in Livingstone Place, on June 24, last year. He also admitted indecent behaviour towards the girl by performing a sex act in her presence and videoing it on August 13, 2009, in Penicuik.

Lord Uist remanded Smith in custody and placed him on the sex offenders' register. He continued the case for reports.