WILLIAM MCCULLOCH CAUGHT IN MIDLOTHIAN WITH THOUSANDS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IMAGES

A resident of Midlothian has been apprehended after authorities uncovered a disturbing collection of child sexual abuse images and videos stored on multiple devices. William McCulloch, aged 61, was found to possess an extensive and depraved archive of material depicting the sexual abuse of infants and minors, spanning over a period of 12 years.

Last year, police executed a search warrant at McCulloch’s home in Penicuik, a town within Midlothian, following intelligence reports indicating the presence of indecent material involving children. The officers arrived at approximately 8 am on May 26, and were greeted by McCulloch’s wife. Shortly thereafter, McCulloch returned to the residence, prompting a thorough search of the property.

During the search, law enforcement officials seized two mobile phones and an external hard drive, all of which were found to contain numerous indecent images and videos of children. Prosecutor Matthew Millar revealed that a total of 5,946 disturbing files were recovered from these devices. These included visual and video recordings depicting both male and female children, with ages ranging from infants to 15 years old.

Of particular concern, approximately 2,000 of these images and videos were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of depravity. It was also disclosed that McCulloch had attempted to conceal his illicit collection by storing the material within secure folders on the devices, which required specific security settings to access.

During his court appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, McCulloch admitted to two charges. He pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children at his Penicuik address on May 25 of the previous year. Additionally, he confessed to taking or permitting the taking of indecent images of children between May 5, 2011, and May 25, 2022.

Sheriff Charles Walls addressed McCulloch directly, stating, “I will call for a criminal justice social work report, and you will need to speak with a social worker and cooperate fully with that process. But be under no illusion, Mr. McCulloch, given the number and nature of these images, a custodial sentence is quite possible. All options remain open, and bail will be continued.”

McCulloch has been placed on the sex offenders register on an interim basis, with sentencing deferred until next month. The court’s proceedings highlighted the gravity of the case, emphasizing the disturbing nature of the material involved and the potential for a significant custodial sentence upon sentencing.