MICHAEL SOMERVILLE FROM FIFE CAUGHT IN PERTH WITH OVER 1500 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

A man identified as Michael Somerville, aged 48, was apprehended in Perth after police discovered more than 1,500 indecent images of children on his mobile devices. The investigation revealed that Somerville had become increasingly obsessed with the dark web during the COVID-19 lockdown period, which reportedly contributed to his illicit activities.

Somerville was found to have been in possession of these disturbing images at various locations, including an address in Glenrothes and at the Inveralmond industrial estate in Perth. The police traced him to the industrial estate on the outskirts of Perth in November 2020, where he was working as a courier at the time. His arrest followed a detailed analysis of one of his two mobile phones, which uncovered the shocking number of 1,526 indecent images of children. Among these images, three were classified as the most severe Category A, depicting young girls aged between six and twelve. Additionally, there were 17 images categorized as Category B, with the remaining images falling into Category C, which is considered less severe.

Furthermore, authorities found a brief three-second video in Category C, featuring an eight-year-old girl. The prosecutor, Sarah Smith, emphasized the gravity of the case, highlighting the disturbing nature of the images involved.

During the court hearing, Somerville appeared via video link from Perth Prison, having been remanded after missing an earlier court date. His defense lawyer, Calum Harris, explained that Somerville’s offending occurred during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Harris stated that his client was living in a spare room at his former partner’s residence and had begun experimenting with amphetamines, which contributed to his mental health decline. The lawyer also noted that Somerville had developed an infatuation with the dark web, which he accessed to view the illicit images.

Harris requested that his client be released on bail, citing his lack of a prior criminal record and the fact that he had been on remand for six weeks due to his failure to attend a previous court hearing. He explained that Somerville was afraid of being sent to custody and had now accepted responsibility by entering a plea.

Judge Robert More expressed concerns about releasing Somerville on bail, citing the risk of him failing to appear again. However, he acknowledged that Somerville’s previous conviction was minor and not similar to the current charges. The judge noted that the number and severity of the images could warrant a prison sentence, but decided to adjourn the case to allow for a criminal justice social work report to explore alternative sentencing options. Ultimately, the court decided to grant bail under standard conditions.

Sentencing has been postponed until July 30, during which background reports will be considered. Additionally, Somerville has been placed on the sex offenders register for an unspecified period, which will be determined at the sentencing hearing.