Jailed, the child porn jazz singer who sent vile texts to girl, 13
A JAZZ singer who ‘sexted’ a 13-year- old girl and was caught with child pornography has been jailed for two-and-a-half years. Craig McMurdo, 49, bombarded the teenager with explicit text messages containing naked images of himself and other males performing sex acts on themselves.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how the pervert also forced his victim to send him photographs of herself performing a sex act. McMurdo – who has performed for the likes of Prince Charles and actor Paul Newman – was found out after the girl’s mother discovered what was going on.
The horrified woman contacted police, who arrested the former BBC radio show host at his home in Gorebridge, Midlothian.
Detectives then discovered he was storing sickening child abuse images on computers he owned.
Yesterday, Sheriff Gordon Liddle sentenced McMurdo to 30 months in jail. He also ordered that he be supervised for another 30 months.
Sheriff Liddle said that McMurdo posed potentially ‘serious’ harm to public safety. He added: ‘Nothing other than a custodial disposal is appropriate.’
The story emerged following the conclusion of an eight-day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court l ast month. Sentence had been deferred until yesterday for reports about McMurdo’s character.
The singer had denied committing any crimes and had claimed he thought his young victim was a ‘mature looking’ woman of 19.
The court heard how McMurdo targeted the girl between December 2011 and August 2012. He initially made contact with her through a dating website.
McMurdo then started exchanging messages with her through Facebook and their mobile phones. The court heard how these messages contained photos displaying sex acts.
He also got the teenager to send him i mages of her naked and performing sex acts.
During the case, McMurdo gave evidence in which he claimed he thought the girl was 19 because that was the age she had on her Facebook profile. McMurdo also told the court that his career as a jazz singer was now in ruins as a consequence of being arrested by police officers.
Defence solicitor John Keenan said social workers considered McMurdo as a l ow risk of reoffending. He added: ‘I would urge your lordship to consider a noncustodial disposal.’
But Sheriff Liddle said that he had to send McMurdo – who has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register – to prison.