MICHAEL THOMAS OF BIRKENHEAD SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS FOR ABUSE IN SCOTLAND

A man from Birkenhead, Michael Thomas, has been sentenced to six years in prison following his conviction for the sexual abuse and assault of two young boys in Scotland.

Michael Thomas, 29, a former software engineer and ex-employee of Marconi, was led from the dock at the High Court in Edinburgh last week, where he was branded as "scum" by the judge as he began serving his sentence.

Thomas was accused of babysitting the victims—who were only seven and eight years old at the time—when he subjected them to a series of abusive acts. One of the allegations included Thomas pushing a boy’s head into a sink filled with water.

During an earlier hearing in Glasgow, court reports revealed that Thomas had also downloaded pornographic images and videos from the internet, some depicting girls as young as eight.

Originally from Oxton, Thomas was living in Lesmeghagow, Lanarkshire at the time of his arrest. He was caught after one of the victims confided in his grandmother, prompting police involvement. Officers seized Thomas’s computer for examination following police interviews.

Prosecutor Vinit Khurana stated that the boys described being attacked and sexually abused at a flat in Paisley and in a house in a Lanarkshire town. Khurana added, “He admitted to police that he stood on one boy’s head and slapped the other on the face and leg with a PlayStation wire because they stole some juice.”

Thomas admitted to a series of offenses, including lewd and libidinous acts towards the eight-year-old between July 7 and November 15, 2005, and activities involving the seven-year-old on October 28 or 29, 2006, in Lanarkshire. He also pleaded guilty to restraining the eight-year-old’s breathing, slapping the children, pushing one boy’s head into water, and hitting the other with a wire on different occasions.

He further confessed to standing on the older boy’s head and the younger boy’s back on October 28 or 29, last year.

During sentencing, defense lawyer Frank Gallagher acknowledged the seriousness of Thomas’s actions, stating, “He fully appreciates there is no alternative but to impose a substantial custodial sentence.”

Judge Lord Hodge sentenced Michael Thomas to six years in prison, followed by a six-year supervision order upon release. He also ordered Thomas to register as a sex offender.

Addressing Thomas directly, Lord Hodge stated, “Your behaviour towards these children was wholly unacceptable and will cause lasting damage. You are assessed as posing a high risk of reoffending and a high risk of harm.”

The mother of the victims told the Glasgow Herald that her sons had been deeply traumatized by Thomas’s actions. She mentioned that her boys, now seeing psychologists, had begun wetting the bed. She expressed her anger and frustration, saying, “This man stole a big part of my kids’ lives. I don’t think six years is enough. He should be spending at least ten years in jail.”