MICHAEL WILKINSON SENTENCED IN DUNDEE FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILD AT LOCAL CARE HOME
| Red Rose Database
Dundee Child Abuser Sexual Abuser
A social care worker named Michael Wilkinson has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing a minor at a care facility in Dundee. The incident involved Wilkinson engaging in sexual acts with a girl who was only 16 years old at the time, during the months of August and September 2019. The court heard that Wilkinson, aged 32, had multiple encounters with the girl, sometimes engaging in unprotected sex, in a living room within the care home while other residents and staff members were asleep or unaware of the misconduct.
Wilkinson, who has a prior conviction for housebreaking, was employed by Dundee City Council as a social care officer at the time of the offenses. Following his conviction, he is no longer employed by the council. The court proceedings revealed the disturbing details of Wilkinson’s actions, which led to his being sentenced to 17 months in prison and a decade-long placement on the sex offender’s register.
During the sentencing, Sheriff Alastair Carmichael addressed Wilkinson directly, stating, “You were 30-years-old at the time and the complainer was 16 and a resident at that unit. You were supposed to play a significant role in providing a safe environment for the residents and the complainer. Instead, you had sexual intercourse with this young person on three occasions, two of which without any protection. In my view, there is no alternative here but a custodial sentence.”
The court was told that the girl was a voluntary resident at the care unit and recounted how Wilkinson entered her bedroom at around 11:30 pm during the first incident, offering her a cup of coffee. The girl described how they watched television together before Wilkinson began to touch her inappropriately. Subsequently, Wilkinson persuaded her to lie beside him on a couch, where he engaged in unprotected sex with her. The girl later expressed feelings of discomfort and awkwardness about her interactions with Wilkinson.
Prosecutor Lora Apostolova explained that the girl felt uneasy about Wilkinson’s behavior, especially after he visited her bedroom late at night, expressing fears that he might be reported for harming children. Despite her concerns, she initially chose not to report Wilkinson, feeling sympathetic towards him and engaging in conversations with him in the living room, where Wilkinson shared personal details about his life. During one of these encounters, Wilkinson lay behind her and had sex on the couch, warning her not to tell anyone to avoid losing his job.
The girl also described another incident where Wilkinson was “trying to be quiet” while having sex with her on a couch. On a different occasion, she took a photograph of Wilkinson lying next to her under a quilt. The court was told that Wilkinson continued to contact her via text messages, once showing her a picture of himself wearing only a towel. The misconduct only came to light after the girl disclosed some details to her family, though she initially refused to report Wilkinson to authorities. It was only later that she confided in a support worker about the inappropriate nature of Wilkinson’s actions.
Police investigations revealed that Wilkinson denied having any sexual contact with the girl or sending inappropriate messages, despite the girl possessing his personal mobile number. He claimed that he simply washed her clothing, which included a pair of shorts he was found to have DNA on. Wilkinson was suspended by Dundee City Council following the allegations and did not respond to charges brought against him.
Wilkinson’s defense solicitor, John Boyle, stated that Wilkinson and the girl had formed a bond, emphasizing Wilkinson’s own background as a former care system resident. Boyle expressed concern over Wilkinson’s potential custodial sentence, noting, “He is understandably very concerned about the prospect of a custodial sentence. Given his history, he is concerned about being in an institution again.”
Ultimately, the court sentenced Wilkinson to 17 months in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years, reflecting the severity of his breach of trust and the impact on the young victim.
Wilkinson, who has a prior conviction for housebreaking, was employed by Dundee City Council as a social care officer at the time of the offenses. Following his conviction, he is no longer employed by the council. The court proceedings revealed the disturbing details of Wilkinson’s actions, which led to his being sentenced to 17 months in prison and a decade-long placement on the sex offender’s register.
During the sentencing, Sheriff Alastair Carmichael addressed Wilkinson directly, stating, “You were 30-years-old at the time and the complainer was 16 and a resident at that unit. You were supposed to play a significant role in providing a safe environment for the residents and the complainer. Instead, you had sexual intercourse with this young person on three occasions, two of which without any protection. In my view, there is no alternative here but a custodial sentence.”
The court was told that the girl was a voluntary resident at the care unit and recounted how Wilkinson entered her bedroom at around 11:30 pm during the first incident, offering her a cup of coffee. The girl described how they watched television together before Wilkinson began to touch her inappropriately. Subsequently, Wilkinson persuaded her to lie beside him on a couch, where he engaged in unprotected sex with her. The girl later expressed feelings of discomfort and awkwardness about her interactions with Wilkinson.
Prosecutor Lora Apostolova explained that the girl felt uneasy about Wilkinson’s behavior, especially after he visited her bedroom late at night, expressing fears that he might be reported for harming children. Despite her concerns, she initially chose not to report Wilkinson, feeling sympathetic towards him and engaging in conversations with him in the living room, where Wilkinson shared personal details about his life. During one of these encounters, Wilkinson lay behind her and had sex on the couch, warning her not to tell anyone to avoid losing his job.
The girl also described another incident where Wilkinson was “trying to be quiet” while having sex with her on a couch. On a different occasion, she took a photograph of Wilkinson lying next to her under a quilt. The court was told that Wilkinson continued to contact her via text messages, once showing her a picture of himself wearing only a towel. The misconduct only came to light after the girl disclosed some details to her family, though she initially refused to report Wilkinson to authorities. It was only later that she confided in a support worker about the inappropriate nature of Wilkinson’s actions.
Police investigations revealed that Wilkinson denied having any sexual contact with the girl or sending inappropriate messages, despite the girl possessing his personal mobile number. He claimed that he simply washed her clothing, which included a pair of shorts he was found to have DNA on. Wilkinson was suspended by Dundee City Council following the allegations and did not respond to charges brought against him.
Wilkinson’s defense solicitor, John Boyle, stated that Wilkinson and the girl had formed a bond, emphasizing Wilkinson’s own background as a former care system resident. Boyle expressed concern over Wilkinson’s potential custodial sentence, noting, “He is understandably very concerned about the prospect of a custodial sentence. Given his history, he is concerned about being in an institution again.”
Ultimately, the court sentenced Wilkinson to 17 months in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years, reflecting the severity of his breach of trust and the impact on the young victim.