EDINBURGH'S JAMES FALLON AND NICHOLAS FALLON SHOCK SLATEFORD COMMUNITY WITH CHILD PORN OFFENSES

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the Edinburgh community, James Fallon, aged 64, has been at the center of a highly controversial incident involving child exploitation images. Fallon, a gardener residing in Edinburgh, was found to have downloaded an extensive collection of indecent images depicting minors, which led to his appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month. The images, numbering over a thousand, predominantly featured young girls aged between 10 and 15 years old. Fallon admitted to downloading these images, which ranged across various levels of severity on the police’s classification scale. His actions have raised serious concerns about safety and the measures taken by local institutions to protect the community.

Following his conviction, Fallon was sentenced to a three-year period of probation and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for the same duration. Despite the gravity of his offenses, Fallon was allowed to return to his place of worship at St Michael’s Church in Slateford, where he and his wife Heather have been members for more than two decades. The church’s leadership, citing their safeguarding policies, stated that Fallon’s return was managed in accordance with standard procedures, which involve close cooperation with police and social services to ensure the safety of the congregation.

However, this decision has sparked outrage among some parishioners and local residents. One angry parishioner expressed their dismay, saying, “It’s disgusting he should be given special treatment. It’s a sad day when parents are scared to bring their children to church — but they simply don’t feel their kids are safe in the same room as Fallon.” The community’s concerns highlight the ongoing debate about how best to balance rehabilitation and community safety in cases involving sex offenders.

Adding to the distress, Fallon’s son, Nicholas Fallon, aged 29, was also implicated in similar offenses. Nicholas was found to have downloaded 629 images, including videos, with some depicting boys aged between 10 and 16 years old. Unlike his father, Nicholas was sentenced to eight months in prison and was ordered to be supervised for a year upon release. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years. During the court proceedings, his defense lawyer, Mark Harrower, revealed that Nicholas had lost his job at the University of Edinburgh’s IT department following his arrest. The court heard that both father and son had been unaware of each other’s activities, as they were downloading the images independently at their shared Edinburgh residence.

In a statement, the authorities emphasized that both individuals had pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children. Sheriff Nigel Morrison QC underscored the seriousness of their crimes, emphasizing the importance of supervision and registration to prevent further offenses. The case has left many in the community questioning the adequacy of current safeguarding measures and the ongoing risks posed by individuals with such criminal histories, especially when they are allowed to reintegrate into familiar community settings like churches.