An “untouchable” Dundee paedophile has finally been jailed following an eight-year international manhunt.
Depraved William Dempster fled to Thailand while out on bail, awaiting sentence for possession of obscene child abuse material.
The fugitive has been hiding from authorities in the coastal city of Pattaya since May 2014, when he was caught with a stash of 60,000 illicit files.
The 46-year-old, who stayed at South George Street, Dundee, before moving to Lanarkshire, was arrested earlier this summer following a joint operation by Scottish and Thai forces.
He was extradited from Asia and appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Monday.
Dempster was jailed for 18 months and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
Tried to evade justice
After he failed to appear in court for sentencing in 2014, investigators discovered he had flown to Bangkok from Heathrow Airport.
It was only last year, following a complex legal challenge, that Thailand authorities were able to consider extraditing him back to Scotland.
Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Livingstone welcomed the sentencing.
“Police Scotland officers are committed to relentlessly pursuing criminals who think they are untouchable or above the law,” he said.
“Dempster thought he could evade justice by fleeing the country.”
DCS Livingstone added: “Our officers worked tirelessly in partnership with our law enforcement colleagues and did not give up on arresting him and bringing him back to Scotland to face the consequences of his crimes.
“I am grateful and pleased to acknowledge the assistance from colleagues in this country and abroad in locating and arresting Dempster which has culminated in this positive and satisfying conclusion today.”
The joint operation involved Police Scotland, the National Crime Agency and Royal Thai Police Officers, with the assistance of the Thailand Office of the Attorney General.
