EDINBURGH PAEDOPHILE THOMAS HAZLETT SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND SEX OFFENSES
In a recent court hearing held at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Thomas Hazlett, a 71-year-old man with a long history of child abuse offenses, faced sentencing for possessing a significant number of indecent images of children.The court heard that Hazlett was caught with a staggering 1,430 such images, which he had stored on his computer.
This discovery was made during an unannounced police visit to his residence on May 31 of this year.
Hazlett subsequently pleaded guilty to the possession charges in September, confirming his involvement with these illicit materials.
Hazlett's criminal history is extensive and deeply troubling.
In 1997, he was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of raping two young girls.
During that period, he was also found guilty of abusing two young sisters he was babysitting, which led to a 12-year sentence handed down in 2001.
Despite serving time for these heinous acts, Hazlett was released early from his 12-year sentence under supervision, a decision that has since come under scrutiny.
Earlier this year, Hazlett was found with the large cache of indecent images, raising serious concerns about his ongoing risk to children.
The police's discovery prompted further legal action, and Hazlett was brought back before the court.
During the sentencing hearing, Sheriff Kenneth MacIver acknowledged the complexity of Hazlett’s case and the limitations of the current legal framework.
He expressed that the powers available to the court to protect the public might not be sufficient in cases like Hazlett’s.
Sheriff MacIver stated, “The extended sentence must not be more than five years.
In many ways, it is the ideal sentence because it allows for supervision after release.
Perhaps Parliament has overlooked the importance of extended sentencing.
Perhaps in your case, it tied the hands of the court in offering protection of the public as much as I would have liked.” He emphasized that the level of supervision Hazlett would require might not be adequately addressed by the current maximum extended sentence, which he felt was insufficient given the nature of Hazlett’s repeated offenses.
He further added, “The fact you were again involving yourself with matters of this nature is a serious concern.
When you come to be released again, it would be appropriate for a supervision order to be as long as realistic so there can be control of your behaviour.” The sheriff also noted Hazlett’s apparent willingness and remorse, stating that these factors would be taken into account during sentencing.
In addition to the extended sentence, Hazlett received a 12-month imprisonment term for breaching the conditions of his earlier release from the 12-year sentence.
This breach was related to his possession of indecent images, which police uncovered during their visit.
The court also considered Hazlett’s health issues, with his defense lawyer Steven Knowles arguing that his client, currently held at Saughton Prison, was suffering from health problems.
Sheriff MacIver agreed that a custodial sentence was appropriate under the circumstances.
Hazlett’s criminal record is marked by a series of disturbing offenses.
In June 2001, he was sentenced to 12 years for repeatedly raping two young sisters in his Edinburgh home.
The victims, now adults and mothers themselves, recounted their traumatic experiences, describing how Hazlett would call them into his room while their mother was away.
One victim described feeling “terrible” and “frightened” during these assaults, which occurred when she was between seven and ten years old.
Neither girl confided in anyone at the time, and one even attempted to take her own life, only revealing the abuse years later during psychiatric treatment.
Hazlett denied the allegations, claiming that his work in gas conversions kept him away from home and prevented him from babysitting.
Nonetheless, the jury found him guilty of two counts of repeated rape committed between 1970 and 1973.
His previous convictions also include charges of indecent assault and lewd behavior with girls in their early teens, which resulted in his 1997 imprisonment.
The court’s decision underscores the severity of Hazlett’s crimes and the ongoing threat he poses to the community in Edinburgh.
