PHILIP BAMPTON CAUGHT WITH HORRIFIC CHILD SEX ABUSE MATERIAL IN EDINBURGH

A disturbing case has emerged involving a man from Edinburgh who was found in possession of an extensive collection of child sexual abuse material. Philip Bampton, a 44-year-old resident of the Muirhouse area, was discovered to have stored hundreds of illicit images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of young children on two separate devices during a police raid in 2023.

According to reports presented at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, the collection included graphic content involving both male and female children aged between six and 14 years old. The severity of the material was underscored by the fact that 70 of the files were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe and depraved content, as determined by specialist police officers.

The investigation was initiated after police received intelligence suggesting that child abuse material had been uploaded to a device located at Bampton’s residence. Acting on this information, officers executed a search warrant at his home in the Muirhouse area early in the morning on November 3, 2023. The raid was conducted around 8:30 am, and Bampton was present along with members of his family when officers arrived.

During the search, law enforcement officials seized two devices: a computer system unit and a mobile phone. Subsequent analysis revealed that these devices contained a total of 229 images and three video files depicting the sexual abuse of children. The police findings highlighted the disturbing nature of the content, which included some of the most depraved material police specialists have encountered.

On February 3, Bampton appeared before Edinburgh Sheriff Court to face charges. He pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children at his home between December 19, 2022, and November 3, 2023. The court was informed of the gravity of the case and the extensive nature of the material found.

Sheriff Matthew Auchincloss addressed Bampton directly, stating, “I have to find out if there is an alternative to a custodial sentence for you, so I will have to call for a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty order assessment. That means you will meet with a specialist social worker who will produce a report for me about the background circumstances and the risk that you pose for further offending. It is very important you cooperate with that process.”

As part of the legal proceedings, Bampton was placed on the sex offenders register on an interim basis. His sentencing was deferred until March, allowing time for further assessments and reports to be prepared to determine the appropriate course of action in this serious case.