PETER MULVEY FROM GALASHIELS SENTENCED TO 10 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR REPEATED SUPERVISION BREACHES AND ONLINE OFFENSES

In a case that highlights ongoing concerns about compliance with court orders and online safety, Peter Mulvey, a 43-year-old resident of Galashiels, has been sentenced to ten months in prison after repeatedly breaching a court-imposed supervision order. The incident underscores the challenges faced by the justice system in ensuring offenders adhere to their legal obligations and the risks associated with online misconduct.

Back in June 2019, Mulvey was subjected to a Community Pay Back Order, which mandated a three-year period of supervision. This order was intended to monitor his behavior and prevent further offending. However, despite the court's clear directives, Mulvey violated the terms of this supervision on multiple occasions. The most recent breach involved him contacting two women through Facebook Messenger without informing his social workers, a clear violation of the conditions set by the court.

Further complicating his case, Mulvey engaged in online conversations with an unidentified individual via Facebook, failing to disclose the identity of the person he was communicating with. This lack of transparency was a breach of the supervision order and raised concerns about his online activities. The breaches prompted warnings from authorities, but unfortunately, Mulvey's violations persisted, leading to his arrest and subsequent sentencing.

During the sentencing hearing, Sheriff Peter Paterson acknowledged that Mulvey had not re-offended since the original offense, which was a mitigating factor. Nonetheless, the sheriff emphasized that this was the third breach of the court order, and such repeated non-compliance was unacceptable. As a result, Mulvey was sentenced to ten months in prison, a reduction from the original twelve-month sentence, reflecting some consideration of his behavior since the initial offense.

In addition to his prison term, Mulvey was subjected to strict sex offender notification requirements for a decade. This measure is designed to monitor and manage the risks posed by individuals convicted of sexual offenses. Moreover, Mulvey admitted to engaging in indecent online communications with someone he believed to be a child, which led to further restrictions. He was banned from accessing the internet without prior approval for three years and was required to disclose details of any devices capable of internet access.

He was also mandated to inform social workers of any new friendships, relationships, or associations he formed, whether they were romantic or domestic. Additionally, he had to provide contact information for anyone he communicated with, directly or indirectly. These conditions were imposed after Mulvey pleaded guilty in April 2019 to charges related to online indecency. His guilty plea followed an incident at Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool in December 2018, where he was caught in an online sting operation conducted by a group dedicated to exposing alleged sex offenders. During this operation, Mulvey sent multiple messages to someone he believed was a young girl, further illustrating the risks associated with online misconduct and the importance of strict supervision for offenders.