THE Scottish justice system seems to have continuing difficulty in dealing with paedophiles, even the ones who are actually convicted, according to anti abuse campaigners today after it was reported in the media yet another convicted paedophile file sharer pervert Liam Gibson of Kilbucho, Biggar, Scotland, who also happens to be an Oil Company Executive, owning Gibson Marine Ltd based in Pathead, Scotland, has escaped a prison term, after he turned informer and, it was claimed some of the evidence gathered in the investigation into his online file sharing activities has revealed a string of contacts including members of the legal profession, possibly a judge or two, and other paedophiles inside the UK and abroad who have yet to be arrested for their crimes.
Lothian & Borders Police, who raided Gibson’s home found after an investigation , he was in possession of 50,000 images of child pornography and thousands of abuse movie clips. However, the courtroom was to prove the saving ticket for Gibson, who pled guilty to the charges, and fearing jail, turned informant. Doing his best to avoid a prison term, Gibson also told Police he had been abused as a child and was attracted to young children although as this was not enough to convince a blank wall, Gibson also ‘turned informant on others’ in a bid to avoid jail.
Mr Gibson had the ex Labour msp Gordon Jackson, QC, defending him in court. Mr Jackson, who once claimed £50,000 for slipping on ice in Edinburgh and lost, told the court of his now convicted client, saying : “He has fully co-operated with the police and with the Crown. We know that the police are content with his level of co-operation and with what he has told them. They have found the information to be helpful. We do not know whether there have been arrests in somewhere like Sheffield as a consequence of what he has told them – that is secret, confidential information. But what I can say is that his information has greatly assisted them.”
Among other excuses statements in defence proffered to the court by defence counsel was the long career of Mr Gibson in the Merchant Navy, the fact his wife had left him, and that “He is thought to be one of the world’s best in a highly specialised sector. He is a world renowned expert.”
Mr Jackson said the police recognised that Gibson had fully co-operated and provided them with information that helped their inquiries. However, neither the procurator fiscal nor Mr Jackson disclosed exactly what Gibson had told detectives.
Sheriff Scott said Mr Jackson had persuaded him not to send Gibson to prison.
Almost unbelievably, Gibson got probation instead of a jail term which was expected in the case. Sheriff John Scott who handed down the sentence of a probation order for THREE YEARS and 150 hours community service, warned Gibson that he risked going to prison if he accessed similar pictures again.
The Sheriff said: "I am persuaded that the most appropriate way to deal with this is to impose a probation order. The probation order for a period of three years. You will also perform 150 hours of unpaid work in the community."
Children’s charities criticised the sentence. Donald Findlater, a spokesman on sexual abuse at child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, said: “It is somewhat surprising that a prison sentence did not happen here, but each case is based on an individual set of circumstances and the individual’s future behaviour. It’s important the sentence doesn’t send a message to other offenders or, indeed victims, that this stuff doesn’t matter – it most seriously does matter and we need to make sure the courts pay attention to that.”
Kate Smith, Children 1st’s director of communications, said: “Downloading child pornography is not a victimless crime. Behind every image there is a real child who has suffered in the making of that image. We know how difficult it is for children who have been abused to come forward, for fear they will not be believed or their disclosure not taken seriously. That’s why it’s important for the justice system to treat and dispose of such cases consistently.”
Gibson from Biggar, Lanarkshire, pleaded guilty last month to possessing indecent images of children at his then home in Pathhead, Midlothian. Sentence had been deferred until yesterday for the court to obtain reports.
The former Merchant Navy sailor owns Gibson Marine, which operates throughout the world transporting rigs to oil fields and which turned a profit of £102,000 in 2010.
Gibson Marine Ltd says on its website it “provides consultancy and Towmaster services to the marine industry. We have wide experience in the moving of oil rigs both semi submersible and jack ups, we specialize in the placing of jack up oil rigs alongside existing platforms. In more recent years we have entered into the offshore heavy lift market and worked extensively with heavy lift vessels and barges and also taken part in our first FPSO installation.”
Aside from his business activities, Gibson used file-sharing software in which he exchanged photographs with others online before being caught by officers from Lothian and Borders Police. Gibson, who calls himself Captain on his business website, was arrested after his home was raided by police in May 2011. Officers discovered a total of 49,809 indecent images on his computer. The majority of the images contained boys who were aged five to 14.
It is rumoured Police Officers working on the investigation are extremely disappointed Gibson was not sent to jail.
So, when do they arrest the judges, lawyers and others on the list and how many of them are in Scotland ? – Ed?
5 comments:
I thought Plea-Bargaining under Scots Law was a CRIMINAL OFFENCE?
This Case is stinky!
One of the sheriff's colleagues was forced to retire because his pc was full of it.
Guess who said there was not enough evidence to prosecute ;p
I have met Liam, in dealings in the offshore business.....i never would have guessed!
masonic cover up?
Saw a case in scotsman where another ex navy man had considerably less files and movies but also on the high scale he got jail. He did not have a QC fighting his case. Is it justice depends on how much on can pay
Post a Comment