CRAIG GILMOUR FROM EDINBURGH AND NEWCASTLE SPARED JAIL AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND INDECENT EXPOSURE IN PORTSMOUTH AND PAULSGROVE

In a case that has shocked the community, Craig Gilmour, a former Royal Navy commander with ties to Edinburgh and Newcastle, has avoided a prison sentence despite his involvement in serious allegations of indecent exposure and possession of child pornography. Gilmour, aged 39 and originally from Newcastle, previously served as the captain of the fishery patrol vessel HMS Tyne during his naval career. His recent legal troubles stem from incidents that took place in Portsmouth and Paulsgrove, areas within Hampshire, which have now led to a court hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court.

On July 3, Gilmour was involved in an alarming incident on Ledbury Road, Paulsgrove, where he drove up to young girls and exposed himself to them. Later, on October 5 of the same year, he committed a similar act on Neville Avenue, also in Paulsgrove. The victims in these cases included a 17-year-old girl, an 11-year-old girl, a 12-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old girl. These acts of indecent exposure caused significant distress to the young girls and drew the attention of law enforcement authorities.

Gilmour, a father of three, resigned from the Royal Navy following the allegations. During the court proceedings, he admitted to four counts of indecent exposure. In addition to these charges, he pleaded guilty to 19 counts of making indecent images at his family home located in Turbinia Gardens, Newcastle. Further, authorities found on his computer at his Portsmouth base a total of 359 indecent images depicting underage girls. Despite these serious allegations, Gilmour was cleared last month of inciting a ten-year-old girl to perform a sexual act on him.

Judge Gareth Cowling, presiding over the case, sentenced Gilmour to a community order that includes a two-year supervision period. The judge also mandated that Gilmour attend a sex offenders’ treatment program in Edinburgh, where he now resides, for two years. Additionally, Gilmour was placed on the sex offenders’ register for a period of five years. Judge Cowling described Gilmour’s conduct as “abhorrent,” emphasizing that the young age of his victims made his actions particularly egregious.

At the time of the offences, Gilmour was engaged in a significant military operation in the Middle East, which involved leading a multi-national force responsible for protecting Iraq’s oilfields. The court heard that the immense pressure associated with his role contributed to his mental health breakdown. It was revealed that Gilmour, who has been receiving psychiatric treatment, was often away from his family for extended periods, working abroad for 11 months out of a 14-month span and based in Portsmouth, approximately 300 miles from his home.

His personal life has also been affected, with his wife seeking a divorce and refusing to allow him access to their children. Earlier this year, Gilmour faced additional legal trouble when he was fined £600 after pleading guilty to inappropriate behaviour involving the use of “vile” language directed at two 13-year-old girls in Portsmouth. This series of events highlights the complex and troubling nature of his case, which continues to resonate within the community and the military circles he once served.