A HOTEL manager who recorded himself sexually abusing a sleeping child has been sentenced to an extended six year prison sentence and placed on the sex offenders register for life.
Anthony McKnight, 38, made the depraved videos of him attacking the young boy before sending the recordings to online perverts he was in contact with.
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McKnight was caught with the images after police had received intelligence he had downloaded a haul of child abuse pictures and videos and raided his home in Haddington, East Lothian, earlier this year.
A phone and two laptops were seized during the search and officers discovered he was in possession of around 5,000 pictures and films depicting children – including new born babies – being sexually abused by adults.
Specialist officers also found sickening images of children being forced to engage in sexual acts with animals along with the videos and pictures of him sexually abusing the child.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the “first generation” recordings had been taken by McKnight on his mobile phone after he had met the child while on holiday in Wales in December last year.
Prosecutor Matthew Millar said online chat logs were also recovered that showed McKnight had shared the footage of him attacking the boy with fellow perverts he was in contact with.
The court heard one video depicted McKnight touching the genitals of the sleeping child while a second featured McKnight performing a sex act with the half-naked boy in the background.
McKnight appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff earlier this month to plead guilty to three charges of possessing, taking or making and distributing indecent images of children between July 7, 2020 and June 7 this year.
McKnight was remanded in custody and returned to the dock for sentencing earlier today where Sheriff Alistair Noble told him he had committed “exceptionally grave” offences.
Sheriff Noble said: “Due to the gravity of the offences a custodial sentence is the only disposal.”
McKnight was jailed for a total of four years and imposed a licence period for a further two years following his release from custody.
Sheriff Noble also placed McKnight on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period.
Lawyer Paul Dunne, defending, said his client had been in “a coercive relationship” that had “affected his self esteem and made him feel very isolated” during his period of offending.
Mr Dunne added: “At the back of the court are two officers from the North Wales police and ultimately the behaviour recorded on video, which is a criminal offence in itself, will be subject to separate dealings in due course.”
McKnight was working as a manager at a trendy boutique hotel in Edinburgh city centre when he was arrested and charged by police following the raid on his home.
Previously the court was told police raided McKnight’s home at around 7am on June 26 this year and he was found to be in possession of 4823 images and 155 videos of children being sexually abused.
The shocking material was said to contain Category A images of newborn babies being sexually abused by adults and children seen engaging in sexual acts with animals.
McKnight was convicted two years ago after he was caught stealing cash from a terminally ill pensioner while employed as the man’s carer.
He was snared after the victim’s daughter set up a camera trap after she noticed her father was either “misplacing or losing” small sums of money.
The subsequent footage captured McKnight stealing from the money from the man he was caring for on June 21, 2021 and he was subsequently reported to the police.
McKnight was fined £110 and ordered to pay compensation of £100 during an appearance at Edinburgh Justice of the Peace Court in December 2022.
