Latest Offenders Edinburgh

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A former soldier who attempted to penetrate a woman with a syringe containing his semen while she slept has been jailed and placed on the sex offenders register.

Brad Albutt, 40, sexually assaulted the victim on three separate occasions - twice with the sharp implement - over a 12 month period at a property in Edinburgh. The ex-serviceman, who was a corporal with the 1st Battalion, The Rifles, was forced to confess about his depraved acts when the woman woke up to find him holding the syringe and a tub containing his semen.

Albutt pleaded guilty to the three sex attacks at a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in December last year and sentencing has been delayed on several occasions to obtain a psychiatric report. He also admitted to charges of assaulting the woman by punching her to the body and breaching bail conditions, all between October 2022 and October 2023.

Albutt returned to the dock for sentencing on Monday where Sheriff Kevin McCarron said there was no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.

Sheriff McCarron said: “These offences spanned a period of one year and involved a significant violation of your victim. More worrying, these offences were planned by you.

“I am taking into account your background and it is also obvious you have served your country for a significant period of time and placed yourself at risk. To balance that, there must have been awful consequences for your victim of your actions.”

Albutt was jailed for 20 months and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. He was also handed a non-harassment order banning him from contacting the victim for the next 10 years.

Lawyer Paul Smith, defending, told the court Albutt, c/o the Scottish Veterans, Canongate, Edinburgh, was a South African national and had moved to the UK in 2000. Mr Smith said his client had joined the British Army in 2008 and had served two tours in Afghanistan before leaving in July last year.

The court heard Albutt had been working recently with Lothian Buses and the criminal justice social work reports had been deemed him a low risk of re-offending. The court was previously told the first syringe attack took place as the woman slept at Albutt’s former home in the capital in October 2022.

Fiscal depute Ruaridh Allison said the woman had woken up to find she was being penetrated by an object.

Mr Allison said: “The accused was sitting on the sofa and she reached down and removed an object from her vagina and realised it was a syringe. She described it as being a very thin syringe unlike one she had seen before.

“She chose not to confront him at that time and gave the syringe back to him. Following this she lay down and pretended to go to sleep.”

Mr Allison said the woman was subsequently attacked by the squaddie with the syringe for a second time the following week.

He said: “She fell asleep on the couch while she understood the accused to be in the spare room. Around 11.30pm she woke up to find the accused beside her feet at the couch and noticed he was holding something in his hand.

“When she asked what he was holding he attempted to hide the object. She tried to grab the object and found it again to be a syringe and there was also a small tub sitting on the couch. When she asked, the accused then disclosed to her that both the syringe and the tub contained samples of his semen.”

The court was told the woman reported the shocking attacks to the police and a forensic examination conducted later that night had found her DNA on the syringe.

Mr Allison said Albutt had also sexually assaulted the woman as she slept by penetrating her with his fingers in October 2022.

Description

A paedophile threatened to hide the ashes of his partner’s dead child when she left him after finding out he was a child sex offender.

Robert Knight made the despicable threat to dispose of the urn containing the remains of the child “in a bush” after the woman had packed her bags and fled the family home.

The victim moved away with her young son after 38-year-old Knight had been outed on social media as a pervert by a paedo hunter group in 2023.

Knight also sent the woman death threats, texted an image of him holding a handgun and threatened to pour petrol through the door of a relative.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the pervert bombarded the terrified victim with texts, emails and social media messages on Snapchat and WhatsApp in an attempt to speak to her.

The court was told Knight made 107 phone calls and sent 29 emails threatening her family members and demanding she give him money over a 48 hour period in August 2023.

Knight also sent letters, turned up at the woman’s new Edinburgh home and even left messages after hacking into her BBC iPlayer and Netflix accounts in a bid to contact her.

Prosecutor Eilidh Grant read out a prepared written narrative on Tuesday, July 3, stating Knight had made numerous threats to harm the woman and her family including the vile threat to hide the ashes of her dead child.

Ms Grant said: “On February 23, 2023, the accused sent text messages which read ‘Your family will pay. I (sic) make sure you have to move far away from your family for them causing this.

‘If you don’t call in five I gonna put [child’s name] in a bush hidden in case you called the police you won’t get him back. Hope your happy.’

“The reference to [the child] is a reference to [the woman’s] son who had passed away several years prior and who’s ashes she kept in her home with the accused.

“As a result of this comment she sought to end all contact with the accused. The following day she contacted police to report these various threats made by the accused.”

The court also heard Knight had deliberately driven his car at a male friend of the woman and knocked him over before shouting “I’ll come back and I’ll you” at the terrified victim.

Knight was arrested and appeared in court in September 2023 and after being released on bail he posted a picture of a black handgun to the family group chat before panicking and deleting the image.

The thug, from South Queensferry, then sent a picture of him holding the gun to a relative and stated he “had plans” for his ex-partner.

He added: “If I don’t get to see my son, then she won’t either. I’ll plead guilty, I’ve nothing to lose.”

Police were alerted to the threats and armed officers raided Knight’s home where they found “a black imitation handgun” during a search of the property on October 10, 2023.

Knight appeared from custody at the capital’s sheriff court for sentencing on Tuesday after previously pleading guilty to the offences.

Sheriff Fergus Thomson jailed Knight for a total of three years and seven months and issued him with a 10 year non-harassment order that bans him from any contact with the victim.

Knight was caught sending a series of disgusting sexual comments and images of his penis to who he believed was a 12-year-old girl in August last year.

He was in fact in contact with an adult decoy from a paedo hunter group and was jailed for 340 days and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely after pleading guilty in January this year.

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A 25-year-old man has been sentenced after being convicted of a serious sexual assault in Edinburgh.

Rowan McKenna attacked a woman at a property in the west of the city in July 2023.

He was jailed for 10 years and six months and placed on the Sex Offenders Register when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, 2 June, 2025, after being previously convicted for the serious sexual assault and an assault to injury.

Detective Sergeant Craig Donnelly said: “My thoughts are with the woman who showed immense strength in assisting our investigation. I hope this sentencing brings her some form of comfort.

“We are committed to bringing those responsible for sexual abuse to justice. We work with a range of partner agencies to support victims and carry out investigations.

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A former secondary school teacher who sent vile videos of himself to ex-pupils has been given a community sentence.

Gilles Brown, a former history and modern studies teacher, was earlier convicted after a trial of sending lewd videos to three young women.

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A former maths teacher has been spared jail over sexual abuse he committed on a pupil more than 40 years ago, due to his age and infirmity.

Michael McCue indecently assaulted a number of students at the former Page Moss School, later Bowring Community Sports College in Huyton, Liverpool, over the course of several decades. Fresh allegations surfaced last year after another victim came forward.

The now 91-year-old has been put behind bars on several occasions previously as a result of his crimes - but he was spared the same fate this time, the Liverpool Echo reported.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday (March 24) that McCue "abused his clear position of trust" a the school, which closed in 2009 after merging with Knowsley Hey High School to form the Lord Derby Academy, in order to sexually assault the then teenage boy in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

This included him touching and stroking the complainant's legs before putting his hands into his pockets and waistband and touching his penis while commenting "you like that" and "you know what I want".

David Polglase, prosecuting, outlined how the defendant, of Dolphin Road in Currie, near Edinburgh, would also take hold of the pupil's hand and place it onto his own penis.

McCue was initially said to have "befriended" his student by speaking of his "adventures to the mountains, Scotland and skiing", offering to pay for him to go on school trips and inviting him to play billiards at his home address while "comforting him" when he was targeted by bullies.

However, he then went on to assault the boy in his classroom while "positioning himself so as not to be seen by other pupils". Mr Polglase described how the victim "couldn't believe what was happening", but said that his "age and vulnerability prevented him from speaking up".

McCue would also abuse the boy after giving him detention. The pensioner was interviewed by detectives in May last year after the complainant disclosed the attacks, but denied the allegation and stated that he "must have got the wrong teacher".

The victim of the assaults told the court from the witness box: "From a young age, I was subjected to manipulation from someone who I was supposed to trust. This has driven me to attempt to take my own life on several occasions. In moments of despair, I feel like there is no escape from the pain that haunts me daily.

"The journey to recovery is long and fraught with challenges. Each day is a battle against the shadow of my past. I'm constantly reminded of the innocence that was stolen from me. He stole what should have been the formative years of my life, shaping me to being a responsible and normal man.

"He stole these opportunities from me for his own sexual gratification. I seek justice not only for myself but for all of the victims of abuse who have suffered in silence."

McCue has previously appeared before the law for sexual offences on four occasions. This saw him receive 15 months for three counts of indecent assault in 2001, six months for similar counts in 2004, a suspended prison sentence in 2006, two years in 2014 for a total of 12 offences and a further suspended jail term in 2016.

David Watson, defending, said on his behalf: "He is 91 years of age. That goes hand in hand with his health. There was a hospital admission relatively recently, in August and September last year, for a period of two weeks due to stomach issues.

"The defendant suffers significant issues with incontinence. He wears a pad for these purposes. He cannot be far from a lavatory at any time. He has significant mobility issues.

"The defendant is effectively housebound. He leaves his house very rarely. Sometimes, a neighbour will take him to withdraw cash and matters of that sort. Under his own steam, he is not able to leave the house. He would be significantly vulnerable in a custodial setting through his age and infirmity.

"He has not offended since his very first conviction. The court can be confident that he will not offend again. Justice has been served on this defendant with suspended sentences, and, in my submission, given his age and infirmity, should be again."

McCue admitted 10 counts of indecent assault. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey coat and glasses and walking with the aid of two sticks, he was handed a 24-month imprisonment suspended for two years.

Sentencing, District Judge Gwyn Jones said: "You were a teacher at that school in your mid-50s, where the public and students alike would look up to you. However, behind that respectable façade, you were a sexual deviant who used his position to take advantage of those who you felt were vulnerable.

"You had an unhealthy desire to satisfy your own sexual needs, having no regard whatsoever to the pain and trauma of those victims who you have offended against. By targeting these students, you took away their innocence and the opportunity to grow up without the trauma we have heard of in court today.

"You were betraying your profession. He felt he was powerless and that he could do very little. It has had a significant adverse impact on his life to date.

"The past is catching up. You are now 91 years of age. You are not in the best of health. You are living a solitary life in your own home. You have little, if any, social life.

"I am satisfied, for the reasons I have outlined, that the risk you pose can be managed in the community. You have a home that may be lost if you were given a lengthy custodial sentence and any work that could meaningfully be done within a prison environment may not be capable of being concluded in that period of time."

McCue was also told to pay court costs of £1,000 within 28 days and will be required to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years. He then stood at the conclusion of the hearing and said: "Your honour, thank you very much."

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A sexually violent chef branded an "extreme danger to women" has been jailed for 12 years.

Scott Wilson, 33, was convicted of a spate of offences - including multiple rapes - against a woman over the course of several years.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Wilson's abuse initially began with him calling the woman names, sending her abusive messages, and acting in an aggressive manner towards her.

Wilson, from Edinburgh, later became violent. COPFS said his attacks included striking his victim on the head while uttering threats to harm her and her family.

On one occasion, Wilson forced his way into a bathroom while armed with a knife and held the woman there against her will.

He then subjected her to a sustained and violent assault, causing her severe injuries.

Wilson was also said to have raped the woman while she was asleep and unable to give consent.

Judge Jane Farquharson KC noted that during one attack, the woman thought Wilson was going to kill her and when she asked him to pass on her love to her mother, he "spat on her".

In addition, Wilson was also convicted of being in possession of cocaine on a number of occasions between July 2018 and June 2023.

Judge Farquharson said: "Your behaviour particularly when under the influence of cocaine was cruel and abusive, intimidating and on too many occasions directly threatening, both to her and members of her family."

The judge said drugs made Wilson "irrational and jealous", with messages shown in court highlighting his self-described "Jekyll and Hyde nature".

Judge Farquharson added: "You left the complainer feeling worthless and responsible for your actions."

Wilson denied any wrongdoing but was in November found guilty of seven charges following a trial at the High Court in Livingston.

The charges included threatening or abusive behaviour; three counts of rape; abduction, assault to severe injury and danger of life; and being in possession of a controlled drug.

Katrina Parkes, procurator fiscal for high court sexual offences, said: "Scott Wilson is a violent and predatory individual who poses an extreme danger to women.

"This type of offending has no place in Scotland and the victim should be commended for her bravery, which has resulted in this prosecution and conviction."

Wilson was handed a 16-year extended sentence when he returned to the dock on Wednesday, with 12 years in jail and four years on licence once released back into the community.

He was also added to the sex offenders' register indefinitely and banned from contacting his victim.

Detective Constable Thomas Bridge said: "Wilson is a violent individual who showed no remorse for his abusive actions.

"I would like to commend the victim for her strength in coming forward to report these crimes.

"The information was essential in helping us build the case against him, and I hope this outcome provides her with some sense of closure."

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A VIOLENT sex offender has been jailed for nine years after orchestrating a series of fire attacks on homes of potential witnesses in his upcoming court case.

Josh Neil, 25, hired two men from Aberdeen to terrorise a family while behind bars, demanding that they set fire to the doors of addresses in Penicuik, Midlothian with promise of payment if they provided video footage as proof.

Four separate attacks were carried out in the town, with two of them endangering the lives of young children present in the homes.

Stephen Barry and Ty Hyland, both from Aberdeen, were part of a gang that struck after the mum made physical and sexual accusations against a man.

As previously reported by the Press and Journal, Neil admitted acting with others while he was in Peterhead’s HMP Grampian and Barlinnie Prison, in Glasgow, to wilfully set fire to two homes in Penicuik in November 2022 and May 2023.

He further pled guilty to disorderly conduct in November 2022 while acting with others when an accelerant was poured over the door of a house.

Neil is currently serving a sentence for a conviction of serious abuse against a woman, with his earliest possible release date being December 2027.

However, on Friday he was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh to another nine years for offences related to the fire attacks.

His nine-year jail term will be served following his present stint behind bars.

Detective sergeant Narelle Allan said: “Josh Neil will now face the consequences of his despicable actions.

“I hope his conviction and sentencing will bring justice to all involved, who have shown great strength in reporting what happened to them.”

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A 37-year-old man will spend the next 13 years in prison after he was sentenced for serious sexual offences, violence and abusive behaviour.

Anthony Gibson came to the attention of police in November 2020 when it was discovered he had abused two women.

Following initial inquiries, it was apparent Gibson had subjected other women to his abusive behaviour. His offences occurred in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Lanarkshire and Fife.

As a result of the ongoing enquiries, Gibson was arrested and charged in connection with serious sexual assaults, violence and abusive and controlling behaviour.

He was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, 11 November, 2024.

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A trainee Church of Scotland minister has been placed on the sex offenders register after he was caught in an online police paedophile sting.

Trevor Martindale sent sexual messages to who he believed was a 12-year-old girl including asking the ‘child’ for pictures of her wearing her school uniform.

Martindale, 43, also repeatedly made references about sexual intercourse and agreed to meet up with the ‘schoolgirl’ at a future date while chatting to her on the social media apps Chatib and Snapchat.

But instead of being in contact with a young girl the trainee minister was in fact speaking to an undercover police officer who had set up the profile in a bid to snare online predators.

Officers raided his Edinburgh home in September this year and he spent three nights in custody before appearing at the capital’s sheriff court to plead guilty to communicating indecently with who he believed to be a child.

Martindale is now facing disciplinary action by the Church of Scotland who said it moved “swiftly and decisively” to suspend him as soon as the allegations emerged.

The disgraced clergyman returned to the dock for sentencing on November 1 where Sheriff Wendy Sheehan placed him on a supervision order and on the sex offender’s register for 18 months.

He was also sentenced to a programme requirement where he will have to attend sessions with the sex offenders rehabilitation programme Moving Forward 2 Change.

A strict conduct requirement was also issued that prohibits his internet activity and has banned him from having any contact with children under 18 and from attending at school and nursery grounds without prior approval from his supervising officer.

Martindale born and brought up in South Africa and after moving to the UK as a teenager he has been living in Scotland for the past 23 years.

Martindale has been in training to become a minister with the Church of Scotland over the past few years and has been undertaking ministry placements in several churches in the Edinburgh area.

A Church of Scotland spokesman said: “The Church moved swiftly and decisively as soon as the allegations made against Trevor Martindale came to light and he was immediately placed on administrative suspension while court proceedings were underway.

“His safeguarding clearance to work with children or vulnerable people has been revoked and the Church is taking further action in terms of its disciplinary procedures.”

Martindale pleaded guilty to indecently communicating with who he believed was a child, but was in fact a police officer, on social media apps Chatib and Snapchat on various occasions between September 11 and 13 this year.

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A man who was caught with horror videos of children being raped and tortured with a total running time of 21 days has been jailed.

Anthony Ward (Tony Ward) was found with more than 85,000 pictures and videos of children being sexually abused by adults when police raided his Edinburgh home last year.

During the police investigation officers also discovered the 66-year-old had been contacting children on an online video website and offering them money to perform sex acts.

Ward pleaded guilty to a charge of taking or allowing to be taken images of children at his home between November 2020 and March last year when he appeared at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.

He also admitted to two offences of directing sexual communication towards children and instructing them to perform sex acts and returned to the dock for sentencing on Tuesday.

Defence agent Peter Barr said his client acknowledged the material was abhorrent and horrific but had downloaded the images on mass not with the intention of watching them all.

Sheriff Charles Walls told Ward he had been complicit in the abuse of the youngsters depicted in the images with some of the footage showing the torture of children.

Sheriff Walls said: You have been convicted of serious charges relating to possession of indecent images of children and indecent communication with children.

There were a very significant number of category A images, the most serious category, involving penetrative sexual activity and sadism.

In total there were over 80,000 images and videos and when played consecutively it would take over three weeks [for the videos] to be played.

Charge five is particularly serious as you engaged in a video conversation with a child, asked her to masturbate and you also offered to pay her money.

Ward, of the citys Calder area, was jailed for 20 months and was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Previously the court was told police received intelligence indecent images were being accessed at Wards home and raided the property at around 7.25am on March 17 last year.

Prosecutor Gillian Koren said 20 USB sticks, three hard drives and a laptop were seized by officers and indecent images of children were found on all the devices.

Ms Koren said a total of 85,763 images and videos had been found with 2957 rated by forensic investigators at Category A - the most serious end of the spectrum.

The fiscal told the court the children involved were aged between four and 15-years-old and the file names included baby rape - hardcore and no limits - child.

Police also found chat logs on the Telegram messaging service that showed Ward had been in contact with children online and had been forcing them to perform sex acts on themselves.

Ward pleaded guilty to a charge of taking, or allowing to be taken, images of children at his home address between November 1, 2020 and March 17 last year.

He also admitted to two offences of directing sexual communication towards children and instructing them to perform sex acts, all between June 14 and December 1, 2011.

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A child sex offender’s motorhome trip across the Highlands landed him in prison for failing to report he would stay at campsites where children were present.

Kenneth Bond admitted failing to keep police properly informed about his whereabouts and that he would likely be near families with young children.

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The daughter of a man stabbed to death by an on-the-run killer and rapist has hit out after he was released from prison.

Rikki Stewart, 48, has been allowed out on temporary licence while serving a life sentence for the murder of Philip Haselip in 2003, reports the Daily Record.

The 52-year-old musician was battered with a roll of wallpaper and knifed at his home in Corby, East Midlands in November 2003 with his body discovered wrapped in a duvet by his son Christopher.

The Dumfries Killer, Stewart, has also been serving time following the death of his mum's boyfriend, Donald Nicholson in 2001 and the rape of a 53-year-old Dumfries grandmother in his hometown in 2003.

Philips daughter Lynette, 39, told how the family feel they have been failed by the authorities right from the start and believes Stewart will go on to offend again.

She said: The whole family is shocked that this can happen. Hes never shown any remorse for what hes done. Its just not acceptable, its dangerous and he will offend again, Im absolutely certain of that.

I dont think he can ever change. He murdered my dad when he was on the run from the other killing and the rape. So weve been let down continuously right from the start, not just now. The Ministry of Justice has made a huge mistake.

Im disappointed. You think people will make the right decisions to protect the public. I never thought I would have to explain what happened to my children, let alone the fact that hes out.

Stewart was wanted over the violent rape of the grandmother at the time he was convicted of Philip Haselip's death. He had also been a suspect in the murder of his mums infirm and defenceless partner during a row, but police were forced to let him go due to a lack of evidence.

He only confessed to the homicide of Mr Nicholson - who had been attacked 10 times with scissors and a knife - after he was handed a life sentence with a minimum of eight years for the murder of Philip. Philips twin brother Tony, 72, also slammed the decision to release Stewart.

He added: Its not a life sentence, is it? We are the ones who have been given the life sentence. Life should mean life - he should never have been let out.

To date he has had seven parole board meetings and on every occasion theyve not recommended him as suitable for release.

Lynette recalled meeting Stewart in the days leading up to her dad's murder. She was just 19 at the time. She said: "I was visiting dad's apartment and Rikki Stewart actually answered the door to me. I asked him who he was and he said he was just there to have a drink with my dad.

Lynette asked her father if he wanted anything from the shop but he declined, saying that they would see each other that weekend. She added: That was the last time I saw my dad.

Lynette returned to the property every day for the next three days but there was no answer. She then received a strange text message from her fathers phone.

The text message said How are you?, but it wasnt how my dad would normally message, Lynette said. She went round after work later that day and noticed the front door had been bolted shut from the inside and sounded the alarm.

The door wasnt right when I was knocking on it, she said. I tried the handle and I could see it was locked from the inside with a bolt, and I couldnt see in the windows.

Her brother then visited the property and bumped into Stewart as he was leaving - who told him: Your dads inside. Philips battered body was then found wrapped in a duvet in the laundry room of the building, having been stabbed three times in the chest. The rest is a bit of a blur for me after that point, Lynette said.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: Rikki Stewarts crimes were horrific and our thoughts remain with his victims families and friends. Prisoners only go on day release after being carefully risk-assessed, must abide by strict rules and face extra time behind bars if they dont comply.

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A disgraced police officer who escaped custody four years ago for sexually assaulting a man has now been jailed after he molested a family friend during a drunken night out.

Roderick Keith, 55, attacked the woman while her husband was upstairs and she was sleeping on a sofa following the night out socialising in Edinburgh. The former firearms officer sneaked out of the bed he was sharing with his own wife before putting his hand down the victim’s underwear and penetrating her with his fingers.

The disgusted woman later told her husband what had happened to her and Keith and his wife were thrown out of the couple’s home in Edinburgh in August 2022. The pervert then sent WhatsApp pleading messages to the victim saying “I’m so sorry - I’m heartbroken” and “I have no words”.

After speaking to her husband the woman decided to report the attack to the police and Keith was later arrested and charged. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told this is the second sex attack carried by out Keith in recent years after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a male friend after he attended a stag do in 2018.

On that occasion Keith, who was still a serving police officer and had previously been commended for his bravery, kissed the man on the head and forced his hands down his boxer shorts. The married father-of-two, of Grangemouth, was found guilty following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court and was placed on the sex offenders register and sentenced to nine months supervision in 2020.

Keith later resigned from his position with Police Scotland before a disciplinary investigation into his conduct could be completed. On Friday Sheriff Charles Walls told the former officer he had committed “a clear breach of trust” and his attack has had “an awful effect” on the woman.

Sheriff Walls said: “It was a clear breach of trust as the complainer and her husband were your friends and you abused that trust in a quite terrible way.

“Due to the serious nature of the offence it seems to me there is no option but to impose a custodial sentence on you today.”

Keith was jailed for 61 weeks and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. The court heard Keith and his wife had been on a night out socialising with the victim and her husband before heading back to the couple’s Edinburgh home on August 13, 2022.

The woman fell asleep on the sofa and her husband retired to his bedroom and Keith and his wife also went to bed in the spare room. The court was told the victim later woke when she felt “a hand on her underwear” and a finger being inserted into her vagina.

She initially thought it was her husband but “opened her eyes to see the accused looking at her”. The distressed woman told her attacker “no, no you shouldn’t have done that” before leaving the room and going upstairs to her bedroom.

The court heard she waited until around 6.30am the next morning to wake her husband and tell him what had happened. The angry husband immediately confronted Keith before throwing the ex-cop and his wife out of the property and the police were contacted later that day.

Keith’s defence agent said his client was “extremely sorry for the pain he has caused” and could offer “no explanation” for his behaviour. The court heard Keith is currently attending sessions with Alcoholics Anonymous and has abstained from drinking since he carried out the attack in 2022.

Keith pleaded guilty to a charge of sexually penetrating a woman with his fingers while she was asleep and was incapable of giving consent at an address in Edinburgh in August 13, 2022.

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An Edinburgh man has been released from custody despite pleading guilty to sending sexual messages and images of his genitals to a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

Robert Agnew contacted a social media account who he believed belonged to the child before sending vile sexual comments and a picture of his penis on the WhatsApp messaging service.

Agnew was caught out after it emerged the person he was in contact with was a member of a paedophile hunter group who subsequently confronted him at his home in the Ratho area of the capital.

The online sting was live streamed on the groups Facebook page and 37-year-old Agnew was arrested and charged after the police were called in to deal with the situation.

Agnew appeared at the citys sheriff court following his arrest in March this year and was remanded in custody. He was back in the dock for sentencing on Tuesday after previously pleading guilty to a charge of indecent communication during a court hearing last month.

Prosecutor Cheryl Porter told the court Agnew contacted a Facebook account in the name of 14-year-old Stacey Sugden from Manchester but was in fact operated by a member of the hunter group Fleetwood Enforcers UK.

Ms Porter said Agnew told the girl he was employed by Fedex as a warehouse worker and he had begun telling her she was very pretty and asked her to move the chat to WhatsApp.

The indecent communication continued over the following five days and Agnew sent messages including asking to meet up with the girl and making comments about her genitalia.

The court was told he also asked what kind of underwear she had on and had sent images of his erect penis asking Do you like the photos?. He also sent messages stating come and join me in my bed.

Members of the paedophile hunter group filmed the confrontation with Agnew when they attended his home at around 11pm on April 5 this year and the police were later contacted.

Solicitor Gillian Simpson, defending, said her client had not applied for bail following his arrest and although he admitted sending the messages he had no intention of meeting up with the girl.

Sheriff Charles Walls said Agnew had pleaded guilty to a very serious matter and though the contact was wholly inappropriate he had committed a non-contact offence.

The sheriff said: Although meeting up with a 14-year-old girl was discussed ultimately it is suggested this was just fantasy and there was no real intention to carry through with this.

Sheriff Walls released Agnew from custody and was placed him under the supervision of the social work department for three years as a direct alternative to custody.

Agnew was also sentenced to carry out 260 hours of unpaid work in the community and had his name added to the Sex Offenders Register for the next three years.

Agnew pleaded guilty to sending sexual communications to a 14-year-old girl, who was in fact an adult, at his home at Ratho, Edinburgh, between March 23 and 29 this year.

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A man has been jailed for 10 years after being convicted of a series of violent and sexual crimes against women in the Edinburgh area.

James Kelly, aged 43, targeted six women between 2014 and 2021.

His crimes included multiple sexual offences, including six counts of rape. He also assaulted one victim to her severe injury.

He was previously found guilty of 18 charges following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh and returned for sentencing on Monday, 15 July, 2024.

Detective Inspector Eirlys Fraser said: “James Kelly subjected his victims to a shocking level of violence and sexual abuse. He is an extremely dangerous individual, who showed no remorse for his behaviour, but he is now paying the price for his despicable actions.

“I would like to commend the women for their strength in coming forward during this investigation and helping us build a compelling case against him. I hope this outcome provides them with some sense of closure and allows them to move on from this horrendous ordeal.