GEOFFREY MORGAN'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN DUNDEE: PAEDOPHILE WORKING AT CHILDREN'S PLAY CENTRE DESPITE COURT BANS
In April 1997, a disturbing case emerged involving Geoffrey Morgan, a 50-year-old man from Dundee, who was found to be working at a children's play centre despite being under strict legal restrictions due to previous sex offences.Morgan had previously been banned from having any contact with children following a conviction related to a sexual offence committed against a 13-year-old boy.
Despite this court-imposed ban, records reveal that within a few months of the probation order, Morgan was discovered working at the Hooks children’s play centre located in Dundee.
On that occasion, Morgan was sentenced to three months in jail.
He claimed that his employment in the kitchen at the centre kept him away from children, but this did little to mitigate the severity of his breach of the court’s order.
The case was particularly troubling because Morgan had previously received a three-year probation sentence after attempting to bribe a young boy into engaging in sexual acts during the filming of the television series Ivanhoe, which was shot at Doune Castle near Stirling.
Morgan, who resides on Broughty Ferry Road in Dundee, was jailed for that offence as well.
Earlier in February 1997, questions arose about how a known paedophile could be employed at a play centre in Dundee.
Parents expressed outrage and demanded answers, as Morgan, aged 49 at the time, had been legally prohibited from working with children after admitting to offering a 13-year-old boy money in exchange for sexual favours in May of the previous year.
Despite this, Morgan secured a position at the Hooks children’s play centre, a facility where children as young as three are allowed to play under relatively relaxed supervision.
Police were alerted on January 28 that Morgan was working at the centre on Arklay Road.
Authorities warned both Morgan and his employer that he was violating the terms of his probation.
However, due to a legal loophole, police were initially unable to arrest him immediately.
Morgan continued working at the centre for an additional three weeks until social workers filed a formal complaint, which then provided police with the legal authority to seek a warrant for his arrest.
On the following Wednesday, police apprehended Morgan at the play centre.
He was subsequently brought before Dundee Sheriff Court, where he faced charges of breaching his probation conditions.
The incident sparked widespread outrage among parents, many of whom questioned how Morgan had been able to secure employment at the centre and why he was allowed to continue working even after authorities were aware of his presence.
In response to the situation, Dundee City Council’s licensing committee held an emergency meeting on Wednesday and revoked the operating licence of the Hooks play centre, which was only six months old at the time.
The centre’s doors were locked the following day, effectively shutting down its operations.
The case also prompted calls for a broader review of legal procedures, with Tayside North MP Bill Walker calling for an urgent inquiry, stating, “It is frightening to think this can happen.
Maybe we should look at whether the law needs changing.” During the court proceedings, Morgan denied any breach of his probation conditions.
His defence solicitor, George Donnelly, stated that Morgan had been working solely in the kitchen area of the centre, which he claimed was a non-contact role.
Despite this, the case highlighted serious concerns about the effectiveness of existing safeguards designed to protect children from known offenders.
