In 2025, the Offender Database reported that William Melville, then 34, of Glen Lee, East Kilbride, was sentenced to 16 months in prison at Hamilton Sheriff Court. Melville, a “high-risk” sex offender, admitted to breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by failing to notify police of a new relationship with a woman.
The investigation established that in July 2024, officers attended Melville’s flat following a noise complaint from a neighbour. Upon entry, Melville “freely” stated there was a woman in his bedroom. A 40-year-old female was found in bed; she reported meeting Melville at a bus stop while under the influence of alcohol and had been staying with him for a week. She was completely unaware of his status as a “high-risk,” registered sex offender.
Persistent Non-Compliance and History
Melville was subject to a SOPO imposed at Lanark Sheriff Court in February 2020. This order required him to inform police of any new intimate relationships—a condition designed to ensure the safety of his partners and the public.
The court heard that Melville has a “horrendous” record of non-compliance and prior sex offences, including:
- Previous Custody: Jailed for 15 months and 27 months for offences involving young people.
- Recent Breaches: Imprisoned twice in 2023 for breaching court orders.
- Monitoring Status: Classed as a high-risk offender and monitored by a specialist police sex offenders unit.
Judicial Findings and Sentence
Defence solicitor Ian Scott stated that Melville was “naturally worried” about disclosing his status to the woman, describing it as a “delicate matter.” However, Sheriff John Hamilton was dismissive of this reasoning, stating that Melville’s record “does him no credit.”
For his breach in Lanarkshire, William Melville was:
- Sentenced to 16 months in prison.
- Notification Requirements: Maintained as part of his status on the Sex Offenders Register.
- Backdating: The sentence was backdated to 31 July 2024, the date he was first remanded in custody.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Melville remains under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and is managed by Police Scotland. His history of “vicious” disregard for court-ordered restrictions subjects him to “critical” scrutiny.
As a high-risk registered sex offender, Melville must comply with all notification requirements upon his eventual release. Police Scotland state that they will continue to carry out unannounced visits and neighbourhood checks to ensure he does not enter further undisclosed relationships. Any future failure to report such contact will result in his immediate return to Hamilton Sheriff Court, where the Sheriff warned that persistent offending would lead to inevitable and lengthy periods of custody.
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