A TRANSSEXUAL paedophile who was busted with 350 indecent images of children on his laptop has set up home in Clydebank. John MacAulay was caught with the vile images of children aged between four and 14 - many of which showed young girls in graphic poses - following a tip-off from Metropolitan Police.

The perverted 63-year-old, who went by the name 'Victoria Seasons' online, also breached the terms of his bail conditions which banned him from accessing the internet.

But last week he walked free from court despite Sheriff Simon Fraser admitting he had committed "a very serious offence".

Dumbarton Sheriff Court previously heard MacAulay was snared after police raided the Dumbarton home he shared with his wife in March last year.

Cops recovered a laptop from the property and he was taken to Clydebank Police Office before being questioned.

During his interview, he explained how his wife knew nothing about the computer and she did not use it before telling police how Victoria Seasons was his "alter ego" and he was a transsexual.

Last week it was also heard that while on bail MacAulay had attended the Southern General hospital as he was having suicidal tendencies.

He was processed by medical staff and told them he had a mobile phone which he shouldn't have as his bail conditions banned him from accessing the internet.

Police were contacted and found he had been using the phone to access websites such as the National Lottery.

He was cautioned and charged and said "I didn't think I was doing anything wrong".

Kenny Clark defending said: "Mr MacAulay is a first offender in the genuine meaning of that expression. He has had enormous difficulties coping with the consequences of his actions."

He added MacAulay had now become a "complete social pariah" and had been cut off from those people he regarded as friends and highlighted the impact his offending had had on his family.

The court also heard his car had been torched in March and that a previously imposed court order had forbidden him from seeing his grandchildren who had previously stayed with him and his wife.

Mr Clark added: "I think broadly speaking this would come within the guidelines of the sort of case which could be other than a means of custody."

Sheriff Simon Fraser sentencing said while MacAulay had committed a "very serious offence" he didn't think it was necessary to send him to custody.

He placed MacAulay, of Radnor Park, Clydebank, on a community payback report which requires him to be under supervision for two years and carry out 240 hours of unpaid work.

He also made him the subject of a sexual offences prevention order for seven years which bans him from having any unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.

He also fined him �200 for breaching his bail conditions.