Paedophile who worked at Rutherglen Nursery has jail sentence cut

Nov 7 2012 by Will Henshaw, Rutherglen Reformer

Nursery worker Alexander Mortimer admitted sexually assaulting two young boys.

The 28-year-olds computer contained17,967 indecent photographs and 582 videos of children.

And yet he could be back on our streets by mid-2014.

Thats the outcome of the perverts successful appeal against the eight-year sentence imposed on him in July by High Court judge Lady Stacey.

At the Court of Criminal Appeal last week, lawyers for Mortimer argued that he had not been given a large enough reduction in his prison term following his early guilty plea.

Lord Mackay, sitting with Lord Philip, agreed to reduce his sentence of imprisonment to five years and 11 months

It means that Mortimer, who worked at a Rutherglen nursery, could be eligible for parole after two and a half years from the date he was first detained in custody in early February this year.

The appeal court decision has been slammed by Rutherglen and Cambuslang community leaders and parents.

One mum, who was yesterday picking up her son from Rutherglen Nursery, described the decision as shocking and said the original eight-year sentence was not long enough.

Mortimers crimes were revealed in January after police raided the Rutherglen flat he shared with his mum, dad and two sisters.

They seized his computer and phone and discovered the sickening haul of child porn. It was found he had added images of the children he had molested to his collection.

Mortimer admitted indecently assaulting the boys between April last year and January. He also pleaded guilty to possessing indecent photos of children and downloading the indecent material during the previous three years.

This week, South Lanarkshire Council leader Eddie McAvoy said: If anything they should have increased his sentence, not reduced it.

Its a ridiculous decision. It shows you how much of a mockery the justice system can be.

The trauma he inflicted on those children and parents will last years, well beyond his prison sentence.

Rutherglen MSP James Kelly said: This is staggering news that Alexander Mortimers sentence has been reduced.

Itll come as a great shock to the families involved in this case. It really is hard to comprehend.

Pleading guilty early does not diminish the crime, the scale of the offence or the hurt this has caused. This also raises fundamental issues on whether the justice system is fit for purpose in terms of looking after the rights of victims.

Matt Forde, head of NSPCC Scotland services, said: Sentencing of child sex offenders must reflect the seriousness of their crimes.

Any final decision on sentencing must send a clear message to the offender, their victims and society that the sexual abuse of children is utterly unacceptable.

Alexander Mortimer committed the most extreme sexual assaults against two very young children and his involvement in the per-petuation of indecent images of children reinforces the cycle of sexual abuse.

Behind every one of the images this man made or shared there are children who have been sexually assaulted and will need intensive support to rebuild their lives. Adults with concerns about a child can contact the NSPCCs helpline for advice and support on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk

Children and young people with concerns about abuse can contact ChildLine on 0800 1111 or visit www.childline.org.uk.