Omani pipe band soldier fined after vigilante sting
SPINDRIFTA soldier from Oman was caught in a paedophile sting while he competed in the World Pipe Band Championships.
Hamdan Alkhamali believed he was talking to a 12-year-old girl online between July and August 2024, but he was actually messaging an adult from a vigilante group.
Alkhamali, 47, made several sexual comments to the decoy and admitted he knew what he was saying was illegal.
He was fined £1,275 and placed on the sex offenders register at Glasgow Sheriff Court after admitting to sending written communication to a person he believed to be a child.
Alkhamali was confronted by the group at Glasgow Green on 17 August last year while he was competing alongside fellow personnel from the Omani armed forces.
He initially contacted the decoy on social media messaging app SayHi on 29 July.
Alkhamali spoke about meeting the girl and made several sexual references before asking her to keep their conversations "private".
He also told the girl he did not care about her age, though later said he was scared about breaking the law.
Alkhamali had told the decoy that he would be in Glasgow to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships, from 16-17 August.
He admitted to the vigilante group that he had talked to the decoy and was later arrested by police.
'Unusual circumstances'
Alkhamali was allowed to return to Oman, but was brought back to Scotland to face justice.
A representative from the Omani military was in court to hear the verdict.
The court heard Sheriff Matthew Jackson KC had received papers from the Ministry of Defence and the Sultan of Oman before the case called.
He told Alkhamali the circumstances of the case were "unusual," but he expected authorities in Oman would ensure he "went under the same sort of counselling and education that you would have in this country".
Sheriff Jackson said: "Do not think that you are getting away with this just because you are a foreign national.
"I expect your government will give a very full undertaking to see that you get the counselling that you require."