HARRY ROBERTSON, GLASGOW DENTIST AND CHILD ABUSE IMAGE OFFENDER, SENTENCED AFTER SHOCKING DISCOVERY
In June 2020, a disturbing case involving Harry Robertson, a former dentist from Glasgow, came to light as he faced serious allegations related to child abuse images and his attempts to alert authorities about illegal online activity.Robertson, aged 59, was already under supervision from previous convictions when new evidence emerged, revealing a troubling pattern of behavior that included possession, creation, and distribution of indecent images of children.
Robertson’s criminal history is extensive.
He was removed from the dental register in 2014 after it was discovered he had concealed his HIV diagnosis.
Despite this, he continued to engage in illegal activities, which culminated in his arrest in June 2018 when police uncovered a significant collection of indecent images at his flat on Cleveden Drive.
Authorities found 130 still images and 85 videos, predominantly classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of child exploitation material.
The children depicted ranged in age from approximately eight to twelve years old.
During police investigations, Robertson was detained and questioned.
He chose not to respond to the charges but later admitted to possessing the images.
His defense highlighted that Robertson had stopped working as a dentist in 2012 and that his mental health had deteriorated rapidly following his HIV diagnosis in 2012.
His relationship had also broken down, contributing to his mental state.
Despite these circumstances, the court emphasized the heinous nature of the crimes, noting that the children involved had been subjected to horrific abuse.
In addition to the images, Robertson was found to have used a video sharing application to access and view illegal content.
His actions were further complicated by his attempt to involve the legal system in an unusual way.
In July of the previous year, Robertson contacted a staff member at the Criminal Justice Social Work department, claiming he had done something foolish over the weekend and wanted to report it to authorities.
He explained that he had been on a chat forum where child abuse images were shared and that he had taken screenshots of the content, believing he had uncovered something significant.
Robertson stated that he sent these screenshots to his lawyer and a friend, believing he was exposing illegal activity.
The police, upon executing a search warrant at his residence, seized his iPhone, which contained two images—one classified as Category A and the other as Category B—depicting boys aged between eight and twelve.
His WhatsApp chat logs confirmed that he had sent these images to his lawyer and another individual, further implicating him in the dissemination of illegal material.
At Glasgow Sheriff Court, Sheriff Ian Fleming sentenced Robertson to a two-year community payback order, which included 180 hours of unpaid work.
Additionally, Robertson was placed on the sex offenders register for two years.
The court proceedings revealed that Robertson believed he had uncovered illegal activity related to paedophiles through his online activities, which he claimed was his motive for sharing the screenshots.
Prosecutor Mhairi Alexander detailed how Robertson had contacted a social work staff member, claiming he wanted to 'keep himself right' by informing authorities about the chat forum.
Previously, Robertson had been convicted and sentenced in June 2018 for possessing indecent images of children.
He was jailed for 18 months after admitting to downloading and possessing such material between 2009 and 2017.
The court acknowledged his lack of prior convictions and health issues but emphasized the severity of the abuse depicted in the images.
Robertson’s actions led to his removal from the dental register and a decade-long registration ban.
The police investigation was initiated after reports in June 2018 indicated illegal images at his flat, leading to a forensic examination of devices found there.
Despite his health and personal struggles, Robertson’s case underscores the ongoing threat posed by individuals involved in child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to combat such heinous crimes.
