Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service News Release
5 July 2010
HMA v Syd Beg
At the High Court in Edinburgh today, Syd Beg (DOB 27/02/1956) was sentenced to seven years and 10 months imprisonment, with an additional five years' extended sentence, after pleading guilty on 22 April 2010 to two charges of sexual offences against children. This included a charge of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards a four-year old girl in 2009, and taking or permitting the taking or making of indecent photographs of children, in Glasgow between January 2000 and January 2010.
Speaking after the sentence, Lesley Thomson, Area Procurator Fiscal for Glasgow, said:
"As a classroom assistant, Syd Beg held a position of great trust - a trust that he completely failed to keep. Today he has been held to account for his crimes and no longer poses any threat to young people.
"Syd Beg was apprehended as part of Operation Alba, a national initiative involving prosecutors working in our Glasgow Area Sexual Offences Unit and the National Sexual Crimes Unit, alongside the police. It is thanks to their joint efforts that he was apprehended before he could do any more harm, and that an early plea of guilty was secured which spared children the ordeal of giving evidence in court.
"Although today's verdict cannot undo the suffering that Syd Beg has caused I do hope that all those affected take some comfort from the fact that he has been brought to justice."
Assistant Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, ACPOS lead for child protection, said:
"Operation Alba demonstrates that there is no hiding place for those who attack and abuse our children.
"Protecting our children is a priority for the Scottish police service and we will use all our skills and commitment to detect those involved in online child abuse. We use the very technology they exploit to bring offenders to justice.
"There is no stereotypical child abuser they come from all walks of life, all professions, all ages and can be married with children of their own. Often they have had no previous contact with the authorities.
"Every contact via the internet leaves a trail which we will follow to identify offenders and rescue children from harm."
Ends
Notes for Editors
1. Syd Beg was apprehended as part of Operation Alba, a Scotland-wide operation involving COPFS, ACPOS, the eight Scottish Police Forces, the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). The aim of Operation Alba is to ensure those involved in online child abuse are identified, enforcement action is taken and children at risk are rescued from harm
2. The National Sexual Crimes Unit was established in May 2009 and leads the prosecution of the most serious sexual offences, including rape, child sexual abuse, and sexually motivated murder. The Unit is based in Crown Office, Edinburgh and compromises a dedicated team of specialist Crown Counsel who are involved in criminal investigation from the earliest stages, providing advice and expertise to Procurators Fiscal. The Unit also includes a dedicated team of specialist Procurators Fiscal. The specialist team of Crown Counsel is headed by Derek Ogg, QC, Assistant Principal Advocate Depute.
3. The Glasgow Area Sexual Offences Unit was formed in May 2009, expanding upon the previous Glasgow High Court Sexual Offences Team, and now deals with the investigation and precognition of all serious sexual crime in the Glasgow Area and the prosecution of all trials at Sheriff & Jury level. This specialist team includes an Indecent Images Unit, which focuses on the investigation and prosecution of all cases involving indecent images of children. The specialist Area Unit works closely with the police, the NSCU, and other criminal justice agencies in the investigation of all types of sexual crime.
Communications 0844 561 3984
communications@copfs.gsi.gov.uk