A disgraced ex-councillor whose political career was cut short when he was caught with child abuse images has walked free after a fresh criminal charge alleging he had downloaded more obscene material was deserted.
Convicted paedophile Michael Jamieson, who resigned from the Perth and Kinross Tory group following his arrest in 2017, was due to stand trial this week at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
The 75-year-old denied having indecent photos of children between November 14 2020 and March 27 2021.
Prosecutors said cybercrime experts who were to appear as witnesses were unavailable.
They called for the trial to be adjourned.
However, the motion was refused by Sheriff Garry Sutherland, effectively putting an end to proceedings.
Resigned as Perth councillor
Jamieson was spared jail time in 2018 when he admitted downloading more than 200 indecent images and a video of a five-year-old child being abused by an adult male.
Perth Sheriff Court heard 55 of the photos were of the most graphic kind.
The vile collection had been amassed at his then home in Perth between August 2014 and April 2016.
He was put on the sex offenders register for three years and ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work.
Jamieson had been serving as a councillor for Perth City South when police raided his home.
He appeared in court the following day and was later ordered to resign.
The former teacher also stepped down as secretary of a city-wide children’s music festival.
Health issues
Jamieson, now of James Street, Dunfermline, returned to the dock on Tuesday.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard that the trial had been adjourned previously on both prosecution and defence motions.
Procurator fiscal depute Azrah Yousaf said: “We should be proceeding to trial (today) but we are not in a position to proceed.
“There should have been two cybercrime officers. They are not here. Apparently, they are both on holiday.
“I am not in a position to proceed today”.
Defence lawyer David Holmes acknowledged there had been previous adjournments and highlighted that Jamieson has been dealing with the onset and ongoing impact of Parkinson’s disease.
Mr Holmes said the allegation concerned four category C level images and that his client has a previous analogous conviction.
Sheriff Sutherland said: “Having regard to the history, I will refuse the crown motion.”
The case was deserted simpliciter, meaning proceedings are at an end.
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