Missing bail jumper traced in Ireland

Keith Ross admitted possessing 1651 indecent images of children and 3029 images depicting “extreme pornography” involving humans and animals at Hamilton Sheriff Court in May.

He was caught after the dad of a former girlfriend stumbled across disgusting pictures on a phone.

Sheriff Marie Smart put Ross (28) of Highfield Crescent, on the sex offenders’ register, with his sentence deferred for background reports and a risk assessment.

Ross (28) was released on bail and told to return to court on June 22, but he vanished prompting police to issue a missing person appeal.

On June 22 Sheriff Smart issued a warrant for Ross’s arrest when he failed to turn up in court, and was also likely to have been in breach of the sex offenders register requirements by not informing police of his whereabouts.

It is understood his phone was then traced to Ireland and he was found in Dublin on Saturday.

He has since returned to Scotland and was arrested.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that Mr Ross was traced in Ireland on Saturday and has since returned to Scotland.

“He was arrested in relation to an outstanding warrant and appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Monday.”

Last year Ross, who once entertained children with a collection of exotic animals, was jailed for 18 months at the same court when he admitted neglect charges relating to exotic pets.