DOUGLAS HARRIS ABERDEEN SURGEON SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENCES

In July 2010, a disturbing case unfolded involving Douglas Harris, a 29-year-old surgeon based in Aberdeen, who was convicted of possessing and creating indecent images of children. The case drew significant attention due to the nature of the offences and the location where they occurred.

Harris was found guilty of downloading a substantial number of child pornography images on his personal computer while working as a surgeon at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Police investigations revealed that during a raid on his flat in Aberdeen, located on Laburnum Walk, officers discovered a total of 371 indecent images depicting young girls. Alongside these images, authorities also uncovered chat room conversations that contained indecent content, further implicating Harris in the offences.

During the trial, Harris maintained his innocence, asserting that he was working at the time the images were downloaded and attempting to shift blame onto his girlfriend, Maria Carle, aged 29. Despite his claims, police evidence painted a different picture. Forensic experts testified that Harris had employed sophisticated software, including a 'window washer' program, to manipulate the timestamps on the files, making it appear as though the images were downloaded at different times. Additionally, authorities recovered a receipt for a disk scrubber from his pocket at the time of his arrest in December 2006, indicating efforts to conceal the files.

The prosecution presented compelling evidence, including the fact that one of the images was downloaded a year before Harris and Carle met, undermining his claim that his partner was responsible. The jury deliberated for just over an hour before reaching a unanimous verdict, finding Harris guilty of possessing 371 indecent images of children and of creating or permitting the creation of 243 pornographic pictures of minors between 2004 and 2006.

During the sentencing hearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Sheriff Annella Cowan was visibly distressed after viewing some of the images, which she described as