AN NHS radiographer who was arrested at the hospital he worked at after being caught possessing a horror haul of child abuse images has avoided a jail sentence.
Gordon Truong was taken into custody after police officers went to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in relation to an investigation into the medic accessing the images.
Truong, 40, was subsequently found to have downloaded more than 7,000 still pictures and videos depicting the sexual abuse of female children between 10 and 15-years-old.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the shamed healthcare professional had accessed of hundreds of images categorised at Category A – the most depraved end of the spectrum.
Radiographers works alongside doctors and are responsible for producing high-quality diagnostic X-Ray images that aid in the diagnosis of various conditions and illnesses.
Truong pleaded guilty to charges of making or taking, and possessing indecent images of children over a near five year period when he appeared at the capital’s sheriff court on earlier this year.
He returned to the dock for sentencing on Wednesday when defence agent, Mark Harrower, said he had “a long career with the NHS and performed to a high standard”.
Mr Harrower said his client is voluntarily taking part in a 10 week course designed to address his offending and he “deeply regrets what he has done”.
Sheriff Kenneth Campbell, KC, said: “All offences of this kind are serious and they are not offences without victims even that might not initially seem so.
“While this is a matter where the court is entitled to impose a custodial sentence I am going to make a community payback order for a period of 18 months.”
Truong was placed on a 18 month supervision order and told he must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to attend sessions with the sexual offenders rehabilitation scheme CISSO and had his name added to the sex offenders register for 18 months.
The sheriff also imposed a conduct requirement where Truong will have to adhere to computer and internet restrictions and is banned from having contact with anyone under the age of 18.
Following the hearing the disgraced former NHS employee left court building wearing a surgical mask, dark glasses and a baseball cap in an effort to disguise himself.
Previously the court heard police received intelligence a child abuse image had been uploaded to the internet and a warrant was granted to search Truong’s family home in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian.
Prosecutor Corey Laouadi said officers were allowed entry to the four-bedroom property and a laptop was seized during the raid on February 5 last year.
Mr Laouadi said: “Following further investigations by the police it was established Mr Truong was employed by NHS Scotland at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
“On February 7, 2025, detective constables attended at the royal infirmary where they traced Mr Truong and he was made aware of the police enquiry and he was subsequently arrested.”
The court was told three devices – a mobile phone, a laptop and a hard drive – belonging to Truong were examined during the investigation and thousands of abuse images were discovered.
Mr Laouadi said a total of 7,110 depraved pictures and 25 videos were found across all the devices including 444 at Category A – the most explicit end of the spectrum.
The court heard the material depicted female children aged between 10 and 15 years old involved in sexual posing and penetrative sexual activity.
Following his arrest Truong was suspended from his position within the NHS and later resigned.
After leaving his employment Truong set up a home removal and household and garden equipment repair business called J Home Services Ltd.
Truong pleaded guilty to charges of taking or making, and possessing indecent photographs of children at his home and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary between October 23, 2020 and February 7 last year.
