JAMES MITCHELL GALASHIELS YOUTH WORKER JAILED FOR WEBCAM INDECENCY IN SCOTLAND

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Galashiels, James Mitchell, a 29-year-old youth project support worker, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison after being found guilty of engaging in indecent behavior via webcam involving minors. The court also ordered Mitchell to be placed on the sex offenders register for a period of ten years, reflecting the severity of his crimes.

Mitchell, who resides on Langlee Drive in Galashiels, was immediately suspended from his position at the youth project once the allegations surfaced. The charges came to light after a concerned colleague raised suspicions, prompting an investigation that uncovered a series of inappropriate and illegal acts committed over a span of more than a decade.

The court heard that Mitchell had admitted to six separate offenses of lewd and libidinous conduct directed at young girls, with incidents dating back from January 1999 to March 2010. Among these offenses was an especially troubling incident involving an 11-year-old primary school pupil, which added to the gravity of his crimes.

Prosecutor Morag McLintock detailed the case, explaining that in the summer of 2009, a 13-year-old girl became involved with the Galashiels Action for Teenage Enablement project, where Mitchell was a well-known staff member. The girl, seeking support and guidance, exchanged contact details with Mitchell, who then communicated with her via text messages. During their exchanges, Mitchell provided her with his webcam details, inviting her to view him online.

Ms McLintock described how Mitchell once asked the girl if she was alone during their online interaction. However, the girl’s friend unexpectedly appeared in the background of the webcam feed, which Mitchell responded to by appearing on camera without any clothes on his upper body. The court was told that Mitchell made further suggestive remarks and even proposed meeting in the basement of the GATE project premises, which the girl found uncomfortable and considered inappropriate.

The young girl told Mitchell that he was being