SENTENCING STATEMENTS
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HMA v Mark Thompson
Jan 12, 2024
On sentencing Lady Poole made the following remarks in court:
" Mark Thompson, you were convicted by the jury at the High Court in Edinburgh of sexually abusing three male victims on various occasions over time periods totalling around about 15 years.
You took advantage of males when you were in a position of trust towards them. Your first victim was abused by you in the 1980s when he was aged between 8 and 13, at times when you were not away serving in the Royal Navy. Your second victim was also the subject of lewd and libidinous practices by you when he was a boy. Your sexual abuse of your third victim started when he was a boy of 12 and continued into his adulthood, during periods totalling about 10 years.
All three victims were subject to grooming behaviour from you. That then developed into physical sexual abuse of two of them. It is clear from an eloquent victim impact statement that the effects of your abuse have been long lasting on at least one of your victims. Your deviant sexual behaviour towards your victims will have caused them emotional harm.
You have only been convicted on one previous occasion, for two offences of taking or making and possessing indecent photographs of children over a lengthy period. You plead guilty in 2021 and received a community payback order.
I have taken into account the criminal justice social work report which I called for. You were found to be a medium risk of sexual re-offending on assessment. You continue to deny the offences of which the jury convicted you.
I have also taken into account everything said on your behalf in mitigation. You have a good work record, including in the Royal Navy. You have only once before come to the attention of the authorities. You have led in the main a pro-social life.
Nonetheless a conviction for such a prolonged course of abuse of three victims, must attract a significant prison sentence.
The sentence I impose is 8 years imprisonment in cumulo on all six charges. Your sentence will be backdated to 3 November 2023 when you were first remanded in custody.
As a result of that sentence you now become subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 for an indefinite period. Your name has been added to the lists of persons deemed unsuitable to work with vulnerable groups."
12 January 2024