CALUM SAWYERS FROM PENICUIK INVOLVED IN SEXUAL OFFENCES AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN EDINBURGH AND MIDLOTHIAN

In September 2017, a disturbing case involving Calum Sawyers, a 19-year-old resident of Rullion Road, Penicuik, came to light through a series of serious criminal charges related to child exploitation and possession of indecent images. Sawyers pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to multiple offences, including repeatedly sending indecent messages and explicit images to two young girls, one aged 14 and the other 15, both residing in England. The incidents spanned from December 1, 2015, when he was 17, until March 8, 2016. Additionally, he admitted to possessing indecent images of children, which further compounded the severity of his crimes.

Prior to sentencing, the court heard that two separate investigations were underway simultaneously. Scottish police were examining intelligence related to Sawyers’ possession of indecent images at his home, while authorities in England were investigating the reports concerning the two girls. The case revealed a disturbing pattern of grooming and exploitation, with Sawyers allegedly attempting to establish a child sex business.

In early February 2015, the 14-year-old girl from Essex confided in her friends that she had been receiving messages from Sawyers, who was then 17, asking her to engage in sexual acts for money as part of a commercial enterprise he claimed to have set up. This information was relayed to her teachers, who promptly contacted the police. The girl described Sawyers’ proposition, which involved her meeting with adult males to perform sexual acts in exchange for substantial sums of money. The rates he mentioned were shockingly high: £1,000 per hour for regular sex, £5,000 for what he called “torture play,” £10,000 for “slashing and cutting,” and an astonishing £50,000 for sex involving animals.

Further investigations uncovered that Sawyers had also contacted a 15-year-old girl from Newcastle via Snapchat in February 2016. He offered her £150 for sex and sent her explicit pictures of himself, including a video of him receiving oral sex from an unidentified woman. The second girl’s contact with Sawyers was discovered after she told her friends about their conversations, prompting police to seize his mobile phones. These devices contained numerous indecent images and videos depicting children aged between five and 14 engaged in sexual acts, some involving acts of rape and torture, which are considered among the most severe forms of child abuse.

During the court proceedings, Sheriff Frank Crowe emphasized the seriousness of Sawyers’ offences. However, he also took into account the defendant’s youth and some psychological issues. As part of his sentence, Sawyers was placed under a Community Payback Order for three years, which included strict conditions. He was prohibited from communicating with children under 17 without prior approval from his supervising officer, and any communication devices he possessed could be subject to investigation at any time by police or social workers. Furthermore, Sawyers was registered on the Sex Offenders Register for a period of three years.

In a related case from June 2017, Sawyers’ disturbing activities escalated as it was revealed he attempted to establish a sex business involving schoolgirls and adult males. He contacted a 14-year-old girl from Essex online, proposing that she participate in sexual acts with men in exchange for large sums of money, potentially up to £50,000 depending on the acts involved. He also offered her additional money if she agreed to be filmed having sex with animals. The teenager was told she could earn more by engaging in “kiddy play” sessions, which involved children, and was also offered a substantial sum for sex acts involving animals.

Further, Sawyers contacted a 15-year-old girl from Newcastle through Snapchat, offering her £150 for sex. He sent her explicit images of himself and a video of him receiving oral sex from an unknown woman. The police investigation was triggered after the 14-year-old girl shared details of her contact with friends, and the 15-year-old girl’s messages were uncovered following the seizure of Sawyers’ mobile phones. The devices revealed that Sawyers had downloaded highly disturbing child sexual abuse images and videos, some depicting children as young as five being sexually assaulted and tortured, including acts of oral rape involving girls aged between eight and ten.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Sawyers admitted to four charges of sexual offences committed between December 2015 and March 2016. These included indecent communication with the two girls and possession of indecent images of children. He also pleaded guilty to creating and possessing such images at his home between March 4 and 16, 2016. Prosecutor Aidan Higgins described the case as profoundly serious, highlighting the extent of Sawyers’ predatory behaviour and the disturbing nature of the material found on his devices. The court is expected to determine the length of his registration on the sex offenders list and the precise duration of his supervision order in the coming weeks.