DAVID MILLIGAN AND HIS SHOCKING SEX OFFENCES IN HELENSBURGH AND NEWCASTLE

A disturbing case involving David John Milligan has come to light, revealing a series of heinous sex offences conducted through social media platforms. The crimes, which spanned across different locations including Newcastle and Helensburgh in Argyll and Bute, have drawn widespread condemnation and prompt grave legal actions.

Milligan, who was in his 40s at the time of his offending, deceived young girls online by adopting a much younger persona to engage with them in sexualised conversations. His particular focus was on minors as young as 12, with the entire sequence of events unfolding primarily via Snapchat. The court was told that he actively sought out and, on some occasions, obtained illicit images from his young victims. In addition to asking for explicit photographs, Milligan sent sexual videos and images of himself, including pictures of his genitals, in a clear breach of trust and legal boundaries.

The revelation of his disturbing online activities came to light when police investigators seized his electronic devices as part of an ongoing probe into his possession of indecent images of children. During forensic analysis, authorities uncovered not only the explicit material but also a trail of online communications linking him to multiple young girls aged between 12 and 15. These messages revealed ongoing attempts at grooming and exploitation.

One of the victims, a 14-year-old girl, recounted that Milligan had added her on Snapchat, initially appearing friendly and seemingly knowledgeable about her age—she believed him to be about 17. However, this facade quickly disintegrated as he began to ask invasive questions about her underwear before escalating the conversation into explicit territory. He openly discussed his intentions towards her, her testimony underscoring the manipulative nature of his approach.

At the time leading to his arrest, Milligan was residing in Newcastle but later moved to Townhead Road, Helensburgh, in Scotland. He faced numerous criminal charges and ultimately pleaded guilty to a total of 18 offences. These included sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to perform sexual acts, and encouraging a child to watch sexual acts. He also admitted to three attempted offences involving victims who did not provide formal statements.

Beyond the direct interactions with minors, the court found that Milligan possessed an extensive collection of indecent images. The images were classified into various categories, with 424 falling into category A, 524 into category B, and a staggering 5,653 into category C. His collection also contained 35 prohibited images and 55 found to feature extreme pornography involving animals, marking a significant escalation of his criminal conduct.

Judge Sarah Mallett, presiding over the case, sentenced Milligan to six years in prison. She emphasized the severity of his actions and the exploitation of vulnerable minors. As part of his sentencing, she ordered that he sign the sex offenders register indefinitely, be subject to a sexual harm prevention order, and a restraining order to restrict contact with any potential victims. These measures are intended to protect the public and prevent further harm from the convicted individual.