DEREK THOMSON FROM EAST KILBRIDE AND STAFFA JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IN HIGHLANDS

In a case that has shocked the local communities of East Kilbride and Staffa, Derek Thomson, a former Boys' Brigade officer, has been sentenced to three months in prison after being found guilty of abusing a young boy during a camping trip in the Highlands over a decade ago.

Thomson, aged 54, was convicted of breaching the trust placed in him as a leader within the Boys' Brigade when he engaged in inappropriate conduct towards a nine-year-old boy. The incident took place in the summer of 1992, when Thomson and other members of the Kirkintilloch Boys' Brigade Company had set up camp in Strath Shanary, near Kinlochbervie, in the Scottish Highlands.

According to the prosecution, led by Procurator Fiscal Alasdair MacDonald, the abuse occurred during the night when Thomson allegedly put his hand inside the boy’s sleeping bag and under his pyjamas with the intent to commit a lewd act. The court was told that the young boy was awake and aware of what was happening but chose to pretend to be asleep until the assault ceased. It was also revealed that Thomson might have escaped detection at the time because the boy was too embarrassed to speak out.

Mr. MacDonald explained that the victim did not disclose the incident for many years, only revealing it in 2000 during a conversation with another young man. This led to the boy’s mother being informed, and subsequently, the police were involved in the investigation.

Thomson, who is married and resides on Staffa, East Kilbride, admitted to engaging in lewd, indecent, and libidinous practices towards the young boy. The court also heard that as a consequence of the police investigation, Thomson lost his job as a security guard. His legal representative, Michael Callaghan, urged the sheriff to consider a non-custodial sentence, emphasizing that Thomson had pleaded guilty, which spared the victim further distress, and asserting that his client was no longer considered a risk to children.

Mr. Callaghan highlighted that Thomson had been under significant emotional strain, noting that he had been prescribed anti-depressants and that he was no longer involved with the Boys' Brigade. He also pointed out that Thomson had accepted that his actions constituted a breach of trust and expressed remorse.

However, Sheriff Donald Booker-Milburn dismissed these pleas, stating, “Given the nature of this charge and the fact you were in a position of trust and you breached this trust, I consider a custodial sentence to be the only appropriate one.” As part of his sentence, Thomson was also ordered to register as a sex offender, reflecting the seriousness with which the court viewed his misconduct in this case.