Ex-councillor banned from internet over child abuse images Published duration 20 August 2018

image copyright Graeme Hart image caption Michael Jamieson admitted possessing indecent images of children

A former Tory councillor from Perth has been given an internet ban after he admitted downloading 219 images of child sexual abuse.

Retired music teacher Michael Jamieson, 69, can only use the internet with the approval of social workers and has also been banned from having contact with children under 16.

He was also ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.

Some of the images and video he had were in the most serious category.

Jamieson, a former Rotary Club president, has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.

Fall from grace

Perth Sheriff Court heard he had been a pillar of society who had suffered a spectacular fall from grace.

Sheriff William Wood said: "As someone who has been very prominent in the community one way or another, this will have caused you a distinct amount of embarrassment.

"It may be argued that your loss of position in society may be punishment enough, but it does seem to me that because of the nature of the charge - including the possession and retention of these images - that there ought to be some further punishment element.

"I have formed the distinct impression from all I've read about you in the reports that you are a man who is full of regret and remorse in relation to your conduct."

Jamieson - who helped to organise the Perform In Perth children's music festival - was arrested soon after being elected to Perth and Kinross Council in May 2017, following a tip-off to police.

Most serious categories

He admitted having more than 200 indecent images of children at his home between 8 August 2014 and 28 April 2016.

The court was told that images - including a video of a sex act involving a young boy - were found on a number of storage devices.

Fiscal depute Carol Whyte told the court: "He has no previous convictions and lives with his long-term partner. He was a local councillor for Perth city for the Conservative party.

"He was president of the Rotary Club and secretary of Perform in Perth, where children have their musical ability assessed.

"Police received information that someone at the accused's address may be in possession of images of children. Officers carried out a search while the accused was there with his partner.

"He made an unprompted reply that there were no images on the computer. When his partner asked what was happening, he said: 'I looked at a couple of photos.'"

Ms Whyte told the court that the images were assessed as being across all three categories, including the most serious.

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