ROBERT PATERSON FROM STENHOUSEMUIR SENTENCED FOR SECRETLY FILMING SCHOOLGIRLS NEAR STENHOUSEMUIR AND FALKIRK

In September 2017, Robert Paterson, a 45-year-old man from Stenhousemuir, was sentenced to prison after a disturbing pattern of secretly filming schoolgirls came to light. Paterson, who had previously been convicted as a sex offender, was found to have developed an alarming addiction to capturing images and videos of young girls without their knowledge or consent.

Paterson’s criminal activities took place near a supermarket close to his mother’s residence in Stenhousemuir, located in Stirlingshire. His actions came to the attention of law enforcement after police executed a raid on his home, acting on intelligence that he was involved in downloading illegal images from the internet. The authorities already knew of his prior conviction for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse images, which made his latest offenses particularly serious.

During the police search, officers uncovered a significant amount of illicit material. Among the items seized was a collection of child sexual abuse images, along with seven videos recorded by Paterson himself using a mobile phone. These videos depicted schoolchildren in uniform, coming and going near the Asda store on Hallan Road in Stenhousemuir. The footage showed young girls, some dressed in short skirts and black tights, in various stages of movement around the area. Additionally, investigators discovered a camera containing 301 sneaked photographs of girls, apparently taken in the same vicinity.

The court proceedings at Falkirk Sheriff Court revealed that most of the girls in the images were dressed in school uniforms, with some wearing jeans and casual tops. Although the identities of these girls could not be definitively established, detectives noted that their attire and appearance suggested they attended local schools and ranged in age from as young as five to sixteen years old. The disturbing nature of the images underscored the severity of Paterson’s actions.

It was also disclosed that Paterson had returned to live with his mother in Stenhousemuir in 2008, following a one-year jail sentence. His return was after he was expelled by his partner when he was exposed as a member of an online paedophile ring. He had previously pleaded guilty to charges related to distributing indecent images of children. This conviction led to his dismissal from his job organizing school bus routes across Falkirk Council, a position he held after working for the Child Support Agency.

During the court hearing, Paterson admitted to downloading child sex abuse images and engaging in disorderly conduct by filming schoolgirls without their knowledge or consent. These offenses spanned from April 2015 until December 13th of the previous year, when police executed the raid. His defense lawyer, Mike Lowrie, explained that Paterson had become increasingly isolated and addicted to filming young girls following his 2008 imprisonment. Mr. Lowrie acknowledged the high risk of re-offending, as indicated in a criminal justice social work report, and suggested that a custodial sentence was likely.

Judge John Mundy sentenced Paterson to 27 months in prison, with an additional extension of 27 months during which he would be subject to conditions set by Scottish ministers and possible recall to prison if he re-offended. The judge emphasized the importance of protecting the public, stating, “I’ve got to consider the protection of the public.” Furthermore, Paterson was placed on the sex offenders’ register for an additional ten years, extending his monitoring and restrictions.

Historically, Paterson’s criminal record includes a 2007 incident where he was caught sharing disturbing images of children as young as five with ten other online offenders. He also engaged in discussions about grotesque sexual fantasies over MSN messenger, including a conversation with an unnamed man who sent him a picture of a nine-year-old girl claiming she was his niece, with whom he had previously engaged in sexual activity. Throughout the court proceedings, Paterson showed no visible emotion as he was handcuffed and led away to the cells, leaving behind a trail of serious allegations and a community concerned about his ongoing threat to public safety.