Scottish former footballer jailed for Thailand child abuse
A former football star turned child sex offender Ian Heddle has been sentenced to four years in jail after a chilling discovery of his heinous crimes. Once a midfielder for Scottish clubs like Dunfermline Athletic and St Johnstone, Heddle’s fall from grace was steep and shocking.
The disgraced 61 year old ex-footballer was arrested at Edinburgh Airport in February last year, attempting to return to Asia, where he had been working as a crane operator. Police were alerted after intelligence linked him to email and MeWe accounts used to share child abuse material online.
In a grim twist, police found a staggering 272,936 indecent images and 4,001 videos of children on his devices. Among these, three videos on his iPhone 12 captured him sexually assaulting a young girl, believed to be around eight years old, in Thailand. The footage, date-stamped September and October 2019, showed Heddle’s distinctive wedding band-clad hand, while he carried out the vile acts.
Despite his attempts to conceal his identity, Heddle confessed to the crimes during a second police interview in September 2023. The National Crime Agency (NCA) worked with the Royal Thai Police to ensure the safety of the victim and gather crucial evidence.
Heddle’s crimes didn’t end there: he also pleaded guilty to possessing and making indecent images of children between August 2019 and February 2023. He was handed a six-year extended sentence at the High Court in Glasgow, with four years in custody and two years on licence.
Scotland’s procurator fiscal for high court sexual offending, Katrina Parkes, remarked, “British nationals who sexually abuse children abroad will face justice here.”
Detective Inspector Adrian Ure of Police Scotland’s NCAIU condemned Heddle’s actions, calling them deplorable. Heddle has been placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, reported Sky News.
ORIGINAL STORY: Scottish ex-football player admits to child sexual assault in Thailand
A former footballer confessed to serious sexual assault and the possession of an astonishing number of indecent images of children. The ex-midfielder, who once played for Scottish clubs St Johnstone and Dunfermline Athletic in the 1980s and 90s, will now face the full force of the law.
The Scotsman, 61 year old Ian Heddle, originally from Dunfermline, was initially arrested after over 270,000 indecent photos and videos of children were allegedly discovered in his possession. However, a deeper investigation unveiled an even more heinous crime – the reportedly sexual assault of an eight year old child in Thailand.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that Heddle, currently residing in Thailand, was apprehended at Edinburgh Airport in February last year for possessing indecent images. Prosecutor Tracey Brown detailed how Heddle had been linked to uploading child abuse material from a property in Scotland where he stayed during visits from the Far East.
“He was interviewed and spoke freely, admitting to the possession of indecent images of children. He stated that there would be thousands of images and videos on his hard drive, categorised into folders.”
The court was informed that the total haul amounted to 272,936 photos and 4,001 clips.
Initially bailed and ordered to remain in Scotland, Heddle’s depravity was further exposed when three videos of him allegedly abusing a child in Chon Buri, Thailand, were found. Identified by his distinctive wedding ring and the hair on his fingers, the footage showed the assault on the sleeping child in 2019. Heddle reportedly confessed during an interview, verifying himself as the perpetrator.
Additional checks of his phone uncovered further contact offences involving another young female. Despite being on bail, Judge John McCormick has remanded Heddle in custody, emphasising the change in his legal status.
Detective Inspector Adrian Ure of Police Scotland’s national child abuse investigations unit issued a comment.
“We understand how distressing this has been for the girl and her family. We hope that the knowledge of his guilty plea will at least provide some comfort to them. Police Scotland is committed to protecting children and pursued Heddle under legislation safeguarding children worldwide from sexual abuse by British nationals.”
Heddle has also been placed on the sex offenders register and awaits sentencing next month, reported BBC News.
