A prominent Dundee University medical scientist has been accused of having indecent images of children on his computer at Ninewells Hospital.
Dr Michael Boylan has appeared in private at Dundee Sheriff Court and made no plea or declaration to the charges. He has been released on bail with the case being continued for further examination.
He has been charged under the Civic Government Act with taking, permitting to be taken or making indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children at an office in Ninewells or elsewhere. The alleged offence is said to have happened between February and April last year but only recently came to light.
He is also charged with possessing indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children. It is understood they were discovered on an office computer.
The 44-year-old, who lives in Newport, is manager of the flow cytometry core facility in the school of medicine.
Flow cytometry is a laser-based biotechnology process for counting and sorting cells. It is used in diagnosing health disorders, especially blood cancers, but has other applications in research.
A spokesman at Dundee University said: “We can make no comment as the matter is in the hands of the court.”