DORNOCH PHOTOGRAPHER STEPHEN MARRABLE SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND BEACH PHOTOGRAPHS

In a case that has shocked the community of Dornoch, Stephen Marrable, a local photographer, was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of possessing a vast collection of indecent images of children, along with disturbing photographs taken at a beach involving a young boy. The court proceedings revealed the extent of Marrable’s illegal activities, which spanned over several years and involved multiple devices stored within his residence on Stafford Road.

According to court records, Marrable, who was unemployed at the time, operated a photography business called Tittle Tattle Photography, which he advertised online. Despite describing himself primarily as a landscape photographer, police investigations uncovered a darker side to his activities. The authorities discovered that Marrable had downloaded and stored thousands of indecent images of children, ranging in age from four to fifteen, on various electronic devices found in his home.

The investigation was initiated in May 2016 when police received information indicating that a device at Marrable’s residence had accessed illicit images. A search warrant was executed, and Marrable was present during the police raid. During questioning, he advised officers not to seize his mother’s computer, claiming there was nothing on it, but he admitted that his own devices contained incriminating material.

Forensic analysis of Marrable’s computers revealed a disturbing collection of images. One computer tower held 37 images, categorized from A to C, depicting children aged between four and fifteen. Another tower, when examined, contained 749 indecent thumbnail images of young boys and girls within the same age range. A Sony laptop was found to contain nearly 1,700 images, with over 1,000 of these being accessible, alongside an additional 1,000 images that were not accessible without further investigation. Six videos were also recovered from this device.

Further evidence included a CD case with 27 discs, which contained a staggering 4,225 indecent images. An additional box of discs was discovered, some of which depicted adults engaged in sexual activities with animals. Authorities also recovered 38 DVDs, two of which contained files with indecent images of children. One particularly disturbing file, titled “Beach Candid,” was created on August 16, 2012, and analysis confirmed that the images were captured using a Canon Eos 40D camera. The filename of this file contained the text “sgmarrable,” indicating a possible link to Marrable.

The beach photographs showed a family—comprising a man, a woman, two young girls, and a young boy—on a beach. While generally, photographs taken in public places do not infringe on privacy rights, the court noted that three images showed the young boy wrapping a towel around his torso, exposing his private parts, which was deemed highly inappropriate and disturbing. The images appeared to have been taken from a distance without the subjects’ knowledge, raising serious concerns about privacy violations and exploitation.

In addition to the images, a hard drive was found containing seven indecent images of children. Marrable’s solicitor, Duncan Henderson, stated that his client, aged 51 and a first-time offender, would be placed on license upon release and was currently receiving treatment for depression and psychiatric issues. The court acknowledged the seriousness of the offenses, with Sheriff Sutherland emphasizing the gravity of the case. Marrable was sentenced to two years in prison and was also ordered to be placed on the sex offenders register, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the potential risk to the community.

This case has left the residents of Dornoch deeply concerned about the safety and privacy of their community, especially given the disturbing nature of the evidence presented in court. The court’s decision underscores the importance of addressing and punishing such heinous crimes to protect vulnerable individuals and uphold justice.