Ian Heddle from Dunfermline sentenced for sexual offences
A 61-year-old man has been sentenced to four years in prison for the sexual assault of a child and possession of indecent images of children. He has also been placed on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period of time.
Ian Heddle, originally from Dunfermline was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday 9 July, 2024 after he pled guilty to the offences on Tuesday, 11 June, 2024.
Heddle, who lives in Thailand, was arrested and charged in Scotland in connection with possessing indecent images of children on Sunday, 19 February, 2023.
The National Crime Agency liaised with the Royal Thai Police to support Police Scotland’s investigation, helped to ensure the safeguarding of the child in Thailand and obtained a witness statement.
Following enquiries it was established that he had also sexually assaulted the young girl in Thailand. He was arrested and charged for this offence on Saturday, 23 September, 2023.
Detective Inspector Adrian Ure of National Child Abuse Investigations Unit said: “Heddle’s behaviour was deplorable with no thought to the young child he sexually assaulted or the victims depicted in the images and videos he was viewing.
“His sentencing sends a clear message that anyone found guilty of these offences will be brought to justice.
“Child protection is a priority for Police Scotland and our partners and we will use the latest technologies and tactics to identify offenders, prevent offending and to protect children from sexual exploitation.
“We treat all reports of sexual crime with the utmost seriousness and will investigate all reports of sexual offences thoroughly in order to bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice, while at the same time providing all the necessary support.”
Duncan Burrage, a National Crime Agency International Liaison Officer, said: “Offenders like Ian Heddle think that they won’t get caught by travelling to the other side of the world to conduct child abuse.
“However, the NCA has the capabilities to identify and disrupt them. Borders are not a barrier; we work closely with our partners in the UK and overseas to ensure that Britons committing child abuse offences abroad are prosecuted and vulnerable children are safeguarded, wherever they are in the world.
“Child sexual abuse is a major global issue which requires a collective international response, which is why tackling it in all its forms remains a priority for the NCA.”
