A Cowdenbeath man has been jailed after being caught downloading indecent images of children. 

Duncan Cowan had committed similar offences more than 20 years ago. 

Cowan, 47, of Taylor Avenue, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court. 

He admitted that from November 23, 2021, to February 21 last year he downloaded indecent images of children. 

Defence solicitor Aime Allan said her client lives with his wife who remains supportive towards him. She said her client was in work and had a “pro-social lifestyle”.  

Most of the images were in category B but one was in category A, the grading for the worst type of pictures. 

Sheriff Charles Macnair said: “In my experience, it’s very, very unusual for someone to re-offend in these cases. I think this is the first one I’ve come across.” 

He noted that Cowan had been put on probation last time but that had not stopped him from re-offending. 

Cowan was jailed for a year and put on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years. 

In January 2004, Cowan, then living in Dunfermline, was sentenced at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for downloading indecent images of children. 

He was put on probation for three years and on the sex offender's register for five years at that time. 

Those offences took place between 1999 and 2002.