ALEXANDER MORTIMER RUTHERGLEN CHILD ABUSER AND NURSERY SEX OFFENDER SHOCKS SCOTLAND

In March 2014, a disturbing case involving Alexander Mortimer, a nursery worker from Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, came to light, revealing a pattern of heinous child abuse and grooming tactics aimed at gaining access to vulnerable children. The case prompted a comprehensive review into the procedures and safeguards within childcare settings, highlighting significant failures and the need for more rigorous measures to prevent such predators from exploiting their positions.

Mortimer, aged 30 at the time, was convicted in 2012 of filming himself abusing two young boys, aged between two and three, and taking indecent photographs of them. The court heard that he had amassed a staggering collection of 17,967 indecent images and 582 videos on his computer, some of which were classified as 'level five,' indicating the most depraved and extreme material. During police searches of his home in Rutherglen, Mortimer claimed that his research into child abuse was for a college course, a defense that was ultimately dismissed as he admitted to molesting the boys and possessing the illicit images.

The severity of his crimes led to an initial sentence of eight years in prison, which was later reduced to five years and 11 months following an appeal. Despite his guilty plea, the court noted the extensive nature of his offenses and the danger he posed to children. The conviction was based on evidence that Mortimer had sexually assaulted the young boys, with forensic analysis confirming his involvement through physical evidence such as scars and a mole matching the images.

Following his conviction, a Significant Case Review was conducted by the South Lanarkshire Child Protection Committee. The review revealed alarming insights into how Mortimer had systematically built his access to children over several years, leveraging his employment in childcare to befriend parents and create opportunities for abuse. It was noted that Mortimer had attempted to establish relationships with parents to gain unsupervised access to their children, including offering babysitting services and even inquiring about adoption, which raised concerns about his intentions.

The review highlighted that some colleagues had raised concerns about Mortimer’s behavior, such as not wearing gloves during nappy changes and his unkempt appearance, but these concerns were not acted upon or escalated appropriately. Managers had been informed of some of these issues, but they were not passed on to external authorities or further investigated. This lack of action was seen as a critical failure that allowed Mortimer to continue his activities unchecked.

Norman Dunning, chairman of the Child Protection Committee, emphasized that if these concerns had been addressed earlier, Mortimer might have been deterred from engaging in more serious misconduct. He stressed the importance of vigilance during recruitment and training processes, urging agencies to be more receptive to concerns raised by colleagues and parents. The review also pointed out the need for a culture where whistleblowing is encouraged and supported, to prevent predators from building careers in childcare settings.

In a related development, Mortimer’s sentence was further scrutinized in November 2012 when his jail term was reduced on appeal. Originally sentenced to eight years, the reduction to five years and 11 months was contested by his legal team, who argued that the sentence should have been more lenient given his early guilty plea and the potential impact on witnesses. The appeal court agreed, citing that the original sentence did not sufficiently reflect the circumstances, and thus, Mortimer could be released as early as mid-2014.

Throughout these proceedings, Mortimer’s activities extended beyond the nursery. He had also engaged in online activities, including offering to babysit children via Facebook and attempting to become an adoptive or foster parent, raising further concerns about his intentions. Police investigations uncovered that Mortimer had made efforts to befriend relatives and colleagues to gain access to children outside of his workplace, including through babysitting and social activities. Several colleagues had expressed discomfort with his behavior, but these concerns were not adequately addressed by management.

The case also drew public attention when ITV withdrew an advertisement featuring Mortimer, who had appeared in promotional content for a popular online bingo site, Tombola. The commercial, which showed him smiling and dancing, was still being aired on television and online platforms even after his charges became public, causing outrage among parents and community members. A spokesperson for ITV stated that, due to ongoing legal proceedings, the adverts had been suspended to avoid further distress.

Local authorities and community leaders expressed their concern over the failure to act swiftly on early warnings. Rutherglen MSP James Kelly commented on the situation, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding children and supporting the families affected by Mortimer’s actions. The case underscores the critical need for vigilance, robust recruitment procedures, and a culture of openness within childcare services to prevent future tragedies of this nature.