Edinburgh crime: Guest house owner Ian Hamilton shuts down Murrayfield business over child abuse images

Edinburgh man discovered with images of children between six and 12-years-old

An Edinburgh guest house owner has been forced to close his business after he admitted possessing child abuse images. Ian Hamilton downloaded the vile haul of videos and images showing the sexual abuse of children to his computer over a year.

The 75-year-old was snared after police raided his guest house in the Murrayfield area following an anonymous tip off and seized electronic equipment including an external hard drive. Cyber crime officers analysed the device and discovered the pensioner had downloaded 69 images of children aged between six and 12-years-old being sexually abused by adults.

Hamilton pleaded guilty to two offences committed between June 2021 and June 2022 during a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month. The pensioner, who has run the Kew House guest house with his partner for more than 30 years, was back in the dock for sentencing on Tuesday, April 25, where he was spared a jail term.

Ian Hamilton, of Edinburgh's Murrayfield area, has been forced to close his guest house of 30 years after child abuse images were found in his possession

Sheriff Christopher Dickson said: “This is a serious offence. The offence is part of the abuse where children suffer and there is a demand created for these images. I have carefully considered what has been said and given the lack of previous convictions and the low number of images I am just prepared to make a community payback order instead of sending you to prison.”

Hamilton was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and under the supervision of the social work department for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete 225 hours of unpaid community work and banned from having any unsupervised contact with children under 16.

Defence agent James McMacken told the court his client had “not been seeking out the material” but had come across it while accessing adult pornography. The solicitor said Hamilton was “contrite” and “accepts full responsibility” for his behaviour. The lawyer said the case has had “a serious effect on his health” and the business he ran with his partner for 32 years has been forced to close.

Hamilton admitted possessing indecent images of children at his home in Kew Terrace between June 11, 2021 and June 27, 2022. He also admitted to taking, or allowing to be taken, indecent images of children at his home between June 11, 2021 and April 29, 2022.

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