Trainee surgeon loses child pornography appeal
- 13 January 2012
- From the section NE Scotland, Orkney & Shetland
A trainee surgeon convicted of downloading images of child abuse has failed to overturn the guilty verdict.
Douglas Harris, who worked at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, denied downloading 243 pictures from paedophile sites.
A jury found the 30-year-old guilty after a trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, and he was given community service.
Judges in Edinburgh have now ruled the jury was entitled to reach the guilty verdict.
Harris had claimed someone else could have been responsible for downloading the images but he was convicted by a unanimous verdict.
At his sentencing, Sheriff Annella Cowan adjourned the court for 15 minutes after being shown some of the images because she found them "distressing and unpleasant".
NHS Grampian said at the time it no longer employed Harris.