GEORGE MCCYMONT SHAMES BONHILL WITH CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND HORRIFIC VIDEOS

In November 2008, a disturbing case emerged involving George McClymont, a resident of Bonhill, who was found to possess and view highly disturbing child pornography. The investigation was initiated after police executed a search warrant at his residence, uncovering a collection of illicit multimedia files stored on two computers and various other electronic devices. These devices contained images and videos depicting sexual abuse of children as young as three years old, with some clips so grotesque that they defied categorization under standard classification systems.

During the police interview, McClymont, aged 58, admitted that the images were stored on the hard drive located in his bedroom. He acknowledged that the material was primarily of adults but confessed to downloading child pornography out of curiosity, stating that he wanted to see “how far you can go.” He further claimed to be disturbed by the images but justified his actions by believing that the police could do nothing about it, which prevented him from reporting the material himself.

Sheila McDermid, the fiscal depute, provided these details to Dumbarton Sheriff Court on a Wednesday, emphasizing the severity of the case. She highlighted that three of the clips found were so horrific that they could not be classified within the usual advisory categories, underscoring the depravity involved.

Defense lawyer Paul Crozier argued that McClymont had been a valuable member of society prior to this incident. He pointed out that his client had cooperated fully with law enforcement from the outset and acknowledged that possessing such images was wrong, even if his explanation for why he had them was not entirely satisfactory. Crozier noted that McClymont had no previous criminal record, was consistently employed, and had recently received a long-service award from his employer. Despite these positive aspects, Crozier questioned why someone with a seemingly stable life would engage in such deviant behavior.

He also stated that there was no evidence of contact with children or others sharing similar interests, suggesting that McClymont’s actions were isolated. The defense emphasized that while his client accepted the wrongdoing on a moral level, he did not fully grasp or acknowledge the potential lifelong harm inflicted on the children depicted in the images.

McClymont pleaded guilty to possessing indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children at his home between September 19, 2004, and November 6, 2007, inclusive. The court, presided over by Sheriff Simon Fraser, condemned the seriousness of the offense. The sheriff described the stored material as some of the most disturbing child pornography he had ever encountered, totaling over thirty-nine hours of footage. He expressed deep concern about the lasting impact such material could have on the victims, some of whom may have been as young as three years old, and noted that their suffering could be lifelong.

Commenting on McClymont’s explanation for storing the material—claiming it was part of an “investigation”—the sheriff expressed his inability to understand such reasoning. Ultimately, McClymont was sentenced to 12 months in jail, a sentence below the maximum five-year term, and was ordered to register as a sex offender. The case highlights the grave nature of child exploitation crimes and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat such heinous offenses.