HARMINDER SINGH FROM GOUROCK AND GREENOCK WALK FREE DESPITE CHILD INDECENT IMAGES ON HIS PHONE

In a case that has drawn significant attention in the local communities of Gourock and Greenock, Harminder Singh, a shopkeeper with ties to both towns, was acquitted of possessing indecent images of children despite evidence suggesting the presence of such material on his mobile device.

The incident dates back to June 2012, when police officers responded to a report involving a missing person at the former Lifestyle Express store located on Tower Drive in Gourock. During the course of their investigation, officers encountered Singh, who was present at the shop. According to police testimony, Singh was demonstrating how to operate the store’s CCTV system when officers observed him behind a newspaper, attempting to conceal his mobile phone.

One officer recounted that he asked Singh to stop what he was doing, suspecting that the phone was being hidden intentionally. A colleague of the officer confirmed that Singh appeared to be trying to hide the device, which was later identified as a black iPhone. The phone was seized for further examination, and a forensic analysis was conducted at a digital forensics unit in Glasgow in September 2012.

During the forensic review, investigators discovered five images stored in a picture folder on the device. These images depicted young children, all under the age of ten, on a beach. The photographs showed naked children, approximately six or seven years old, with one image featuring a young girl of similar age. The images were small in size, and one officer described them as being at the lower end of the indecency scale, categorized as 'level one' and 'level two.'

Despite the presence of these images on Singh’s phone, the court heard that there was no evidence to suggest he had viewed or was aware of their contents. An officer from the cyber crime unit testified that they could not confirm how the images had arrived on the device or whether Singh had intentionally accessed them. The sheriff, Tom Ward, emphasized that the evidence did not establish Singh’s knowledge or possession of the indecent images in a manner that would warrant a conviction.

Singh, who resides on Eldon Street in Greenock, had consistently denied any involvement in possessing or viewing the images. The court’s decision was ultimately based on the lack of proof that Singh was aware of the images’ existence or had intentionally kept them. Sheriff Ward concluded the trial by ruling there was no case to answer, effectively acquitting Singh of all charges related to the indecent images.

This case highlights the complexities involved in digital evidence and the importance of establishing intent and knowledge in such investigations. The verdict has left many in the Gourock and Greenock communities contemplating the nuances of digital possession and the legal standards required to secure a conviction in cases involving alleged indecent images of children.