Scottish prison officer caught sending sexual messages to 13-year-old girl

A Scottish prison officer was caught sending sexual messages to what he thought was a child.

Peter Sugden, of Falkirk, began communicating with a social media profile on June 11, 2024, believing it belonged to a 13-year-old girl from Essex.

The account, on the Kik platform, was in fact being controlled by an adult volunteer from an online protection team.

Over the course of several days, the 46-year-old sent indecent messages and made sexual remarks towards the child decoy.

Sugden was confronted at his home by members of the online protection team and taken to Falkirk Police Station where he made “full and frank” admissions.

His mobile phone was examined and found to contain 12 child abuse images ranging from category A to C.

He was also found to be in possession of extreme porn including images depicting a woman engaged in sexual activity with a donkey and men engaged in sexual activity with dogs.

Solicitor Sarah McIlwham, defending, said Sugden had no previous convictions.

“Until the events which bring us to court today, he was a happily married man – married for over 20 years. There are two children of that union,” she said.

“Up until this offence, he’d been working in SPS as a prison officer for in excess of 22 years. He had a very positive upbringing. His parents are here today.”

She added the offences have caused “great distress”, not only to his ex-wife and daughters but also to his parents and immediate family.

“Sugden is a man who never thought he would be in front of the courts but finds himself here after a significant lapse in judgement”, she added.

“It’s something for which he’s deeply remorseful and regretful of. However he takes full responsibility. He’s had his life turned upside down by these offences.”

She continued: “He was put out the family home. He has not returned, he has no chances of reconciliation with his wife and quite frankly he is too ashamed to try.

“Similarly, the relationship he has with his two daughters is strained.

“There was a lapse in judgement. His mental health prior to this offending had been significantly down. He’s currently medicated for that. He doesn’t see himself coming off this medication for some time.

“He is a man somewhat broken by his actions.”

The court heard that Sugden has already paid to undertake rehab work the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and has been engaging with child abuse prevention charity Stop It Now.

Sugden pled guilty to taking or making indecent images between March 2019 and June 2024, at Falkirk Sheriff Court.

He also admitted attempting to indecently communicate with a child.

He was handed a three-year community payback order during which time he will be subject to supervision and restrictions affecting internet use.

His name was added to the sex offenders register.

Sheriff Harris said: “These offences involve a high degree of culpability.

“In terms of harm, viewing, downloading and distributing indecent images of children is part of the process of child abuse.

“Those who access material bear responsibility for the abuse for creating a demand for such material.

“You worked yourself with sex offenders. You delivered a high intensity programme.”

Helen Nisbet, procurator fiscal for Tayside, Central and Fife, commented: “Peter Sugden deliberately conducted a sexualised exchange online with someone he thought to be a 13-year-old girl.

“Following his arrest, his phone was found to contain several images containing child sexual exploitation and abuse.

“Sugden has now been held accountable for his predatory and exploitative conduct, and we hope this prosecution makes clear that we will take action against those who commit this type of offending.”