June 2021

Champion archer caught with child abuse images set up jacuzzi spy cam at Fife home

A leading Scottish archer is facing jail after setting up a camera to spy on young women in their swimwear.

Karl Paddon, 58, who is listed as having clinched Scottish records for American and American Double archery target-shooting in July 2013, installed the equipment, normally used to monitor his dogs, at his seafront bungalow.

A court heard that he knew the young women, aged 25 and 26, would be using his jacuzzi when he was out.

Images of them in swimming costumes and “swimming underwear”, recorded in April 2018, was found on his phone when police raided his semi on the Promenade in Leven, Fife, acting on information that his IP address had been used to download child abuse images.

As well as the jacuzzi footage, they found more than 1,000 pornographic pictures of children – 124 of the most serious category – on Paddon’s laptop and iPad.

Giving evidence during a five-day trial, one of the women filmed in her swimwear became “visibly upset” in the witness box when shown one of the images of Paddon had recorded of her.

Prosecutor Michael Maguire said Paddon had deliberately set up the spycam to film the women “for some kind of sick kick”.

At Falkirk Sheriff Court, a remote jury found Paddon, of “Ravenscraig”, The Promenade, Leven, guilty by majority of two charges of voyeurism, and guilty, unanimously, of possessing and downloading child abuse images.

Jury members had earlier been warned by the presiding sheriff to “put aside any revulsion” they might feel for the matters they were being asked to deliberate about.

Paddon denied the charges.

He said in evidence that others had access to his password-protected equipment and he had no idea that there was illegal material on his devices.

However, forensic analysis showed that at one point an archery picture of Paddon’s had been downloaded the same day as some of the child porn — a fact which the Crown said pointed to Paddon having control of the laptop that day.

The court heard the police raid occurred on October 31st, 2019. Some of the images were downloaded as far back as November 2015, not only in Leven but also at a time when Paddon was living at a previous address in Thurso, Caithness, where he originally bought the laptop.

The machine’s search history revealed websites that it had been used to visit had titles including “Lolitas”, “Paedo Porno Exclusives” and “Only Small Baby”.

Paddon bowed his head in the dock when the verdicts were announced. A woman accompanying him wept openly on the public benches.

Sheriff William Gilchrist deferred sentence until July 7th for reports, and continued bail.

He told Paddon: “You must attend for an interview with a social worker.”

April 2021

Man claims he downloaded over 1000 indecent images of kids for ‘research’

A man caught with child abuse photographs on his laptop claimed he was not a paedophile and was only doing research.

Douglas Suttie told police officers an ex-partner had been a victim of abuse and he wanted “a better understanding of what she had been through”.

Suttie, 49, was placed on the sex offenders’ register when he appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Friday.

He admitted downloading more than 1200 child abuse images at his home in Tollhouse Gardens, Bellshill, between May 2018 and March last year.

Jennifer McCabe, prosecuting, said that while most of the photos were in the least serious category, 34 were rated category A, the most depraved.

She said Suttie’s laptop was seized when police officers arrived at his home with a search warrant on March 24 last year

It was clear from the laptop’s search history that he had been scouring websites for material.

Images that he had deleted were found after specialist officers carried out a forensic examination of the device.

Ms McCabe told the court: “During a police interview the accused admitted being on websites he shouldn’t have visited and had seen some ‘very sickening’ images of children being abused.

“He said this was not for sexual gratification but for research.

“One of his ex-partners had been subjected to abuse as a child and he wanted to better understand what she had been through. She had not really opened up to him.

“The accused also said that he had hoped to find pictures of the person who had abused his ex.”

Sheriff Daniel Kelly called for a criminal justice social work report and a risk assessment.

Sentence on Suttie was deferred until next month and his bail was continued.

April 2021

Children’s worker struck off from Lanarkshire school after physically and verbally abusing boy

A children’s worker at an Airdrie school left a young boy terrified after physically and verbally abusing him.

James Lappin was employed at St Philip’s independent school, which provides education for vulnerable youngsters from across the country.

He left a boy, known only as AA, terrified after subjecting him to physical and verbal abuse in a classroom.

Lappin has now been struck off.

Lappin put his hand over the boy’s mouth and nose and threatened to call the police before telling him, ‘you wee b*****d’.

He was asked to leave the room by horrified colleagues, but returned and continued to shout and swear at the youngster during the incident last March.

The experienced residential child care worker was reported to bosses and was hauled before a hearing of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

A panel ruled Lappin posed a high risk of repeating his behaviour and had no option but to ban him from the profession.

He took legal advice during the hearing and later admitted the facts of the case, before accepting the decision.

In a written ruling, the SSSC said: “Placing your hand over the young person’s nose and mouth, shouting at him and calling him a ‘wee b*****d’, and threatening to report him to the police was both physically and verbally abusive behaviour.

“The young person should be able to trust that the adults caring for him will respond appropriately when he is in a crisis situation.

“The young person requires to be calmed and reassured. Instead, you shouted, swore, threatened him and placed your hand over his nose and mouth.

“This behaviour involved a loss of self-control and a display of aggressive behaviour.

“This behaviour caused, or was likely to cause, physical and emotional harm and an escalation of the situation which could have led to a greater risk of harm to the young person.

“This was an isolated incidence however, when asked by colleagues to leave the room, you returned a few minutes later and continued to shout and swear at the young person. There has been no remediation.

“Given the lack of any insight, regret or remorse the SSSC has concluded that the risk of similar behaviour being repeated is high.”

They added: “The SSSC considers that a removal order is the most appropriate sanction as it is both necessary and justified in the public interest and to maintain the continuing trust and confidence in the social service profession and the SSSC as the regulator of the profession.”