AN AYRSHIRE man accused of downloading and collecting vile child abuse images has been put behind bars after failing to show up for a court hearing.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of 29-year-old Jack Marshall after he failed to appear in court earlier this year– and also failed to show up for a psychiatric examination.

The Crown’s indictment alleges that Mr Marshall created copies of the images at his home in Symington between October 9, 2019 and January 15, 2021.

A second charge accuses him of being in possession of the images.

He is also accused of being in possession of a quantity of cannabis on January 15, 2021, and of failing to appear at Ayr Sheriff Court on May 3 and September 7 last year.

When he appeared from custody at the same court on Wednesday, April 19, defence lawyer Matthew Berlow said: “I see the case has some history. I believe Mr Dunbar [the accused’s previous solicitor] passed the case to a law firm in Glasgow, so I don't yet have the papers.

"There is a large number of complications. I would be seeking more time."

Mr Marshall had been released on bail following a court appearance in November, but at a further hearing in January he failed to show when his name was called – despite, according to his then lawyer, having been in the building earlier that day.

Procurator fiscal depute Alasdair Millar said there was no opposition from the Crown to the defence’s motion to continue the case, telling the court the accused had been held on remand since February after being traced by police.

Mr Berlow told the court his client believed certain charges had been dropped, after ongoing discussions between Mr Marshall’s previous lawyers and the Crown – but Mr Berlow confirmed this was no longer the case.

Previous solicitor Mark Dunbar told January’s hearing that Mr Marshall had been abusive to him within the court building that morning, and that as a result he was no longer representing him.

When Marshall, who was described in court documents as an inmate at HMP Kilmarnock, appeared in court in November, bail was granted with special conditions banning him from accessing the internet and from having any contact with children.

But when his case called before Sheriff Shirley Foran in January, Mr Dunbar said: “He was due to appear, and was here earlier, but is not here any more.

“I agreed to represent him on the insistence he undergo a psychiatric examination, but he failed to attend and phoned and cancelled.

“Today he was abusive to me, so my relationship in representation has come to an end.

“It’s coming to the stage the court might have to appoint a solicitor.

“It’s my estimation he is seriously psychologically unwell.”

A warrant was issued for the accused's arrest, but he was not tracked down by police until the following month.

At the latest hearing, Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart told Mr Marshall he would be remanded in custody.

The case was continued until June to allow the new defence team time to consider all the paperwork in the case and for legal aid to be put in place.