An Omani soldier has been fined and placed on the sex offenders register after being caught attempting to engage with someone he believed to be a 12-year-old girl while in Scotland for the World Pipe Band Championships.
As reported by Grant McCabe in the Glasgow Times, Hamdan Alkhamali, 47, had been in Glasgow in August 2024 representing the Omani army band. During his stay, he communicated online with an adult acting as a decoy for a vigilante group, who had posed as a child. Alkhamali made sexually explicit comments and discussed meeting in person, despite acknowledging that he understood the legal risks.
According to McCabe’s report, Alkhamali was confronted by members of the group at Glasgow Green on 17 August, during the championships, and was later arrested by police. He pleaded guilty this week at Glasgow Sheriff Court to sending sexual communications to someone he believed to be underage.
Sentencing him, Sheriff Matthew Jackson KC imposed a £1,275 fine and ordered that Alkhamali be placed on the sex offenders register. The sheriff emphasised that being a foreign national did not diminish the seriousness of the offence and expressed confidence that the Omani authorities would ensure Alkhamali receives appropriate counselling and education.
McCabe’s coverage also noted that Alkhamali had initially returned to Oman after the incident but was brought back to Scotland following negotiations between the UK authorities and the government of Oman. A representative of the Omani military was present at the court hearing.
Further details from the Glasgow Times report revealed that Alkhamali had used two social media platforms to engage in conversation with the decoy, during which he made clear references to sexual activity and suggested secrecy to avoid detection. He admitted during his online communications that he was aware his actions were illegal.
The original full report by Grant McCabe can be read here.
No comment……… Just didn’t come on a boat.