EK paedophile to return to court next month

Nov 4 2009 by Graham Mann, East Kilbride News

A FORMER company director who admitted having indecent images of children on his computer will return to court next month.

Paedophile Scott Ferguson of 27 Durban Avenue, Lindsayfield, appeared for sentence at Lanark Sheriff Court on Friday.

However, Sheriff Nicola Stewart deferred sentence for a further six weeks to allow time for the preparation of a psychological report and risk assessment.

Ferguson was snared after an investigation led officers to his parents’ home in Kirkmuirhill, near Lanark, where he had used a computer to obtain sick images.

The 36-year-old was once a director with his family’s civil engineering business, J&J Ferguson, based in Kirkmuirhill.

However, he was booted out of the company when the charges came to light.

When Ferguson arrived at court on Friday, he was accompanied by his partner Stephen Hendry, who attempted to shield Ferguson from photographers.

At an earlier court hearing, Ferguson was placed on the sex offenders’ register after he admitted to taking or permitting to be taken, or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children between October 26, 2006, and September 5, 2007, both dates inclusive, at 31 to 33 Strathaven Road, Kirkmuirhill, and 27 Durban Avenue, East Kilbride.

Ferguson is due back in court on December 11.

Meanwhile, last week, the police service in Scotland responded to the growing threat to child safety represented by the on-line abuse of children and the distribution of indecent images of children.

Operation Alba is a Scotland-wide operation involving the eight Scottish police forces, the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), the Crown Office and the Child Exploitation and On-line Protection Centre (CEOP).

The purpose of Operation Alba is to ensure offenders are identified, enforcement action taken and children at risk rescued from harm.

Assistant Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, who holds the Child Protection portfolio for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) said: “We are turning a corner in dealing with this kind of crime in Scotland and we will be proactive in our approach.

“Those who attack and abuse our children think they can disguise their tracks.

“However, we will use the very technology they exploit to catch them.

“Operation Alba will use intelligence and investigation techniques, including existing and emerging technology, to detect those involved in online child abuse and bring them to justice.

“We are utilising the most up-to-date technology to identify and arrest individuals who attack and abuse vulnerable children. Those who do so will rightly face lengthy prison sentences like Rennie and Strachan.

“There is no stereotypical child abuser – they come from all walks o f life, all professions, can be married and with children of their own. Often they have had no previous contact with the authorities.

“We are making clear through Operation Alba that there is no hiding place, every contact via the internet leaves a trail which we will follow. We will investigate, enforce the law and rescue children from harm. It is a priority for the police service in Scotland to protect our children.”