ALAN MITCHELL FROM ALLOWAY SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGE OFFENSE IN AYR

In March 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Alan Mitchell, a police officer from Alloway, who was found to be involved in the possession of child abuse images at his family home. The revelation came after Mitchell was caught hoarding a collection of highly disturbing and illegal files depicting child abuse, which he had kept at the detached cottage he shared with his wife and children.

Mitchell, aged 47, was employed as a traffic police officer but resigned from the force in disgrace following the incident. The authorities uncovered that he had been in possession of these illicit images for over four years, from September 17, 2015, to October 3, 2019. The family home, located in Alloway, has since been put up for sale as part of the legal proceedings.

During a court hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court, Mitchell admitted to breaching Section 52A(1) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 by possessing indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children. His guilty plea was entered last month, and he took responsibility for his actions, which have caused significant concern and distress.

When Mitchell appeared in court again for sentencing, his defense solicitor, Ian Gillies, explained that Mitchell was currently living with his parents and that social services had been involved with his family. The social workers involved expressed hope that, eventually, Mitchell might regain supervised contact with his children, though this remains under careful consideration.

Sheriff Scott Pattison addressed the court, emphasizing the gravity of the offense. He noted that Mitchell was being spared a custodial sentence by a narrow margin, given the seriousness of his crimes. The sheriff indicated that he was prepared to impose a series of non-custodial measures instead of prison time.

As part of the sentence, Mitchell was placed on a three-year Community Payback Order, which requires him to be supervised by social workers throughout this period. Additionally, he was ordered to participate in the 'Moving Forward: Making Changes' program, designed to help sex offenders modify their behavior.

Mitchell was also restricted to owning only one electronic device capable of internet access, which must be made available for monitoring by authorities. He is prohibited from relocating to a new residence unless it has been deemed suitable after a risk assessment. Furthermore, he is barred from any contact with individuals under 18 unless explicitly approved by his social worker.

The court also mandated that Mitchell complete 300 hours of unpaid community service within 18 months. To enforce compliance, he was subjected to a Restriction of Liberty Order, requiring him to remain within his parents' home in Prestwick, South Ayrshire, from 7pm to 7am daily for ten months, and to wear an electronic tag.

Finally, Mitchell was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years, with a review scheduled later this year to assess his progress and compliance with the court's orders.