Latest Offenders Fife

Description

A 'predatory and dangerous' sex offender has been jailed after being found guilty of a string of serious sexual offences against three women.

John Todd was convicted of the attacks, including rape, which took place in Perth, Angus and Fife over a five year period.

The 34-year-old has now been sentenced to five years and 10 months behind bars after appearing at the High Court in Edinburgh today.

In a statement, Police Scotland officers praised the bravery of Todd's victims who came forward.

They added that they hoped the verdict would go some way to helping them move forward with their lives.

Detective Sergeant Lauren ONeil of Fife Divisions Rape Investigation Unit said: Todd is a predatory and dangerous man who has committed a variety of serious crimes against a number of different women over a protracted period of time.

It is thanks to the courage of the women who came forward that he has been now been found guilty of his crimes and the cruelty of his behaviour has been exposed.

I would like to commend the women for their bravery throughout this investigation and court proceedings.

"Hopefully the verdict today will help them moving forward.

Description

A Fife-based teacher has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register after being found with hundreds of indecent images of children.

Technical studies teacher Blair Paton admitted possessing disgusting images of girls as young as five and later insisted to police he was not a danger to his pupils.

The 39-year-olds haul of images was discovered after police received information he had accessed child abuse pictures on a social media app.

The dad-of-one, who lives in Burntisland, downloaded and viewed them between May and July 2020 after installing the Kik messenger to his phone.

Paton who featured in BBC Ones 2005 documentary series Teacher Teacher was charged and told officers: Im so sorry.

Fiscal depute Carol Gammie told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the images ranged from Category A the most serious to Category C and that Paton had searched for child sex abuse groups on Kik.

Most recently a teacher at St Machar Academy in Aberdeen, he formerly worked at Bucksburn Academy, Mackie Academy and Meldrum Academy in Aberdeenshire.

Hundreds of images retrieved

Ms Gammie said Police Scotlands child abuse investigations unit first received information, in July 2021, that an account linked to Patons email address had shared child sexual abuse material within a group chat on Kik.

When police went to his then-home, Patons wife answered the door and officers searched his phone and laptop.

The accuseds phone was found to contain 10 indecent images of children, the fiscal said.

These images featured female children aged approximately five to 12 years of age.

A full forensic examination of the devices recovered 1,767 inaccessible indecent images of children.

247 were Category A, 786 were Category B and 734 were Category C images.

No evidence of distribution was found.

He had found it exciting

The court heard that Paton had joined Kik in the summer of 2020 to meet and chat to people.

Ms Gammie said: He stated he had joined some groups and that within these groups other people were sharing pictures and that is how they had got on to his mobile phone.

He stated that in the moment he had found it exciting.

He admitted to searching for Kik chat groups relating to child abuse in order to view indecent images of children.

He said he was unsure if he was sexually attracted to children, but thought he must have been at that time.

He advised he later decided he did not want to be a part of those groups and deleted his Kik account.

He stated that he tried to delete all indecent images of children from his devices after deleting Kik.

Im so sorry, Im so sorry

Paton, an Aberdeen University graduate, also told police he does not find the children he teaches attractive and that he is not a danger to children.

After being cautioned and charged he told officers: Im so sorry, Im so sorry.

Paton admitted one charge of taking or permitting to be taken or made indecent images or pseudo-images of children at an address in Blackdog, between May 23 and July 21 2020.

Sheriff Ian Wallace deferred sentence on Paton, of Inchgarvie Avenue, Burntisland, for background reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment.

The length of time he will spend subject to registration will be determined at that time.

Aberdeen City Council said he is not employed by the local authority.

Description

A Dunfermline sex offender was snared after he sent naked photographs of a schoolgirl to her friend on Instagram.

Alan Cook admitted taking or making indecent photographs of children, distributing the filth and causing another person to view photographs of a 15-year-old girl.

The now 18-year-old had been speaking with the teenager on Instagram messenger in April 2020 and conversation had begun normally, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard.

Cook, who was 16 at the time, made clear to the girl he knew her friend and had a crush on her.

The girls friend did not feel the same way about him.

Cook then sent the girl he had been speaking to nine photographs of her friend in various states of undress, including graphic images.

The recipient contacted police and officers obtained a search warrant.

Images and videos found

When they attended at Cooks home in Clunie Road, they seized an iPad and phones.

On the devices, police found Cook had been using search terms such as 14-year-olds and jailbait.

Officers found 172 indecent images of children and three videos on his devices.

Two of the videos and 36 of the images were deemed category A, the worst of files, and depicted children from the ages of one to six years old being abused, including by adults.

In terms of category B files, Cook was found to have 72 images and one video, depicting children between the ages of two and five.

He also had 64 category C files, showing children between the ages of three and eight.

Sentence deferred

His solicitor Chris Sneddon said: He was 16 at the time.

Clearly reports will be required.

He is able to plead competently today.

Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane deferred sentence until June 27 to allow for social work reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment to be completed.

The sheriff also placed Cook on the Sex Offenders Register and the full period of time he will spend subject to the notification requirements will be confirmed at the next hearing.

She released Cook on bail and told him: I have to get a report before I deal with you.

Description

A remorseless rapist who attacked an 83-year-old woman in her own home has been jailed.

Kyle McKenzie, 23, was sentenced to 11 years after admitting his crime but showing no contrition.

McKenzie attacked the woman after breaking into a property in Glenrothes, Fife, on June 25, 2020 and carried out what police described as a 'particularly brutal attack on a vulnerable woman' in her own home.

He pleaded guilty on November 16 and was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh today.

Senior investigating officer DI Darren Stewart said: 'Kyle McKenzie is clearly a very dangerous, opportunistic individual.

'He carried out particularly brutal attack on a vulnerable woman, submitting her to a harrowing ordeal in the one place in the world she should have been safest, her own home.

'He showed no contrition for his reprehensible behaviour when he was charged.

'However, he will now face the consequences of his actions having admitted his guilt.

'A large scale police investigation was carried out following this incident which ultimately identified McKenzie as being the individual responsible.

'I want to take the opportunity to thank the public and partner agencies for their assistance and information provided, particularly in providing support to the woman involved.

'Police Scotland treats all reports of sexual crime with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity in order to bring perpetrators of such crimes such as Kyle McKenzie to justice.'

Description

A teenager sexually assaulted a schoolgirl as she slept by using her hand to pleasure himself.

Nineteen-year-old Jordan McRobbie had been staying overnight at the girls home and she awoke to find her hand on his penis.

When the girl told her father of the assault later that day, he drove McRobbie straight to the police station.

McRobbie told police he had targeted the girl because he fancied her.

Girl woke to sexual assault

Fiscal depute Jill Currie told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court McRobbie and his victim had been watching a film the night before.

She said: The two parties were not in a relationship but were well know to each other.

The accused was staying over on the night of April 13.

At around 11pm the accused and the complainer were in her bedroom and were lying on the bed watching a film.

After, they decided to go to sleep.

The accused was on top of the covers and the complainer was under them and both were fully clothed.

At around 7.15am on April 14 the complainer woke and found the accused had hold of her left hand and placed it on his erect penis and was using it to masturbate himself.

The complainer pulled away but the accused tried to take her hand again.

I just want her to like me

The girl, who was a teenager, later texted her father to tell him what McRobbie had done.

The enraged father took McRobbie to the police station to force him to hand himself in.

When speaking to officers, he told them: I just fancied her and want her to like me.

McRobbie, of Dean Court, Kirkcaldy, admitted sexually assaulting the girl at an address in the town on April 14 last year.

Sentence was deferred for reports and McRobbie was placed on the Sex Offenders Register in the interim.

Description

A high-risk serial sex offender is behind bars today after he stalked an Aberdeen medical student by sending her sinister messages about Satan and claiming she was his wife.

Jon Coltart, 39, had never met his victim but sent unwanted messages to her for nine months and even claimed on Facebook that they were in a sexual relationship.

Jon Coltart, 39, had never met his victim but sent unwanted messages to her for nine months and even claimed on Facebook that they were in a sexual relationship.

He was eventually arrested after turning up at the Foresterhill medical campus in a hyper state and saying he wanted to pay her a surprise visit.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told he used a photograph of the woman as his profile picture and posted about how she was beautiful and that he was so proud of her.

Coltart claimed the pair had met and married between 2007 and 2010 when he was a surgeon in Glenrothes.

But the woman told police she didnt know Coltart and had never met him.

Coltart, who has convictions for sexual offences dating back to 2011 and was described by Police Scotland as a high-risk sex offender, pleaded guilty to causing the woman to suffer fear and alarm between June 19 2021 and March 24 2022.

A frightening obsession

Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told the court that things began to escalate when the woman received a notification to her Gmail account alerting her to a message from Coltart.

The subject heading was marriage and the message itself said Hi xxxx00xx.

When she got home she saw she had three messages from the accused with the subject heading so proud of you and the message read congratulations on all the new hospitals in Scotland and well done, beautiful. So happy and proud of you.

Mr Townsend said Coltart sent the woman a further message stating Im all yours, which alarmed her.

He added: She was concerned that he was obsessed with her and that the behaviour might escalate from online to try and meet her in person, so she reported the matter to police.

Coltart then posted a Facebook message stating the pair were married in 2007 and that they were living together and in a sexual relationship.

He also used her LinkedIn profile picture as his Facebook profile picture.

There was a change in tone in the messages around June 19 last year when Coltart mentioned suicide, fire and Satan.

On March 24 this year Coltart approached a receptionist at The Suttie Centre within the Aberdeen hospital campus acting hyper and demanded to speak to the student, claiming that she was his ex-wife.

He told the receptionist it was a surprise visit.

Mr Townsend said: The receptionist felt that he was up to no good and notified security.

Coltart then left but later appeared at the security desk of the Polwarth Building at the site and again demanded to speak with his wife.

The woman was notified that a man had attended and was claiming to be her husband and she contacted the police.

Coltart wasnt traced but CCTV footage from the building was seized and a couple of days later was arrested at his home in Glenrothes.

Stalker told police I understand how serious this is

When interviewed by officers Coltart stated: I understand how serious this is but I did not mean to cause her any distress.

I was just trying to go the right way through the police to contact her.

If she does not want to see me, she does not want to see me.

Coltart, who legally represented himself, was remanded in custody until sentencing.

Sheriff Shirley McKenna said: You have pled guilty to this charge.

Im going to reserve anything you have got to say until we have reports.

She called for a criminal justice social work report, a restriction of liberty order assessment and a psychiatric report to be carried out.

Sheriff McKenna also put a non-harassment order in place meaning Coltart, of Brae Court, Glenrothes, cannot approach the woman.

Description

A former Fife teacher who groomed senior pupils at the school where he worked will be supervised for three years.

Emotionally immature Lewis Knott admitted sexual misconduct with two 17-year-old students.

The former English teacher kissed and hugged one of the pupils and had sexual chat during a drink-fuelled video call with another girl.

The 24-year-old was suspended in 2020 following an investigation by Fife Council and has since left teaching.

He has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years and was sentenced to three years supervision and 200 hours unpaid work.

The sex offender must also take part in the Moving Forward: Making Changes programme and must not delete any of his internet history or messages.

He must make internet-accessible devices available for inspection upon request.

Reprehensible crimes

Sheriff James Williamson said alarm bells should have been ringing when another teacher called out Knotts conduct.

He said: When you look at the position he was in, its difficult to avoid the conclusion that a degree of grooming was involved.

Your behaviour was entirely and utterly reprehensible.

Its a matter of such seriousness it does and can attract a custodial sentence.

However, he said he was willing to give an opportunity for a strict supervision term and warned: In the event you breach this order, there will be no second opportunity.

Grooming denied

Defending, solicitor advocate Shahid Latif presented the court with a testimonial letter signed by those close to Knott.

He said: He is genuinely remorseful.

Hes asked me to apologise to the complainers in open court.

He can do no more than he has done.

I dont seek to minimise what he has done.

The narrative makes clear that there was sexual conduct. It was fleeting.

There was an immediate recognition by Mr Knott that his behaviour was unacceptable and hes apologised.

Mr Latif said he did not agree with social workers description of his clients conduct as grooming.

The narrative didnt use the word grooming at all.

From my perspective, the initial contact was well-intentioned.

Rehabilitation hopes

Mr Latif also said his clients catastrophic error of judgement came against a backdrop of low self esteem and anxiety.

He has no previous convictions.

His age at the time was 22. The differential between the complainers was five years.

It wasnt a significant gap between their ages.

He was also emotionally immature.

There is no prospect of this behaviour repeating itself. Hes no longer in the profession.

Hes no longer in a position of trust.

The author of the report indicates he has embarked on the road to rehabilitation.

Contact with first victim

In February, Knott, of Findon Lane, Glenrothes, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and admitted engaging in sexual activity with, or towards, his first victim on multiple occasions.

He admitted kissing and cuddling her and touching her body over her clothing, while he was in a position of trust.

Knott further pled guilty to communicating indecently with the second girl.

He was in his first full year of teaching when he began abusing his position, the court heard.

The teacher gave his Glow email address used for teacher-pupil communications to his first victim but later gave her his mobile number and they began texting.

Warning from fellow teacher

Later, the teenager went to a house party with friends, consumed alcohol and arranged to meet Knott in his car.

They drove around Glenrothes, before Knott then began kissing but the girl freaked out after a few seconds, the court heard.

The pair continued to text and met at another party a week later and he took her back to his flat and they kissed again.

Contact lessened thereafter, although he hugged and kissed her once more.

On one occasion, Knott was seen hugging the girl by another teacher and was told not to do it again.

The court heard that on a few occasions, he had put his hand on her leg while she was wearing tights and squeezed her, making her uncomfortable.

Reported by second victims parent

Knotts second victim was not a pupil of his but he included her in a Glow conversation about work assigned to another pupil and asked her to provide help.

Knott later contacted the girl and asked her to switch to messaging him on his teacher Instagram page.

He told her how pretty she was, commented on her figure and told her she should be more confident.

Knott told her about his sexual experiences and asked her intimate questions.

During a video call, they played a drinking game she pretended the lemonade she was drinking was vodka and the accused referred to sexual experiences he previously had and said she was hot and that he wanted to taste her.

This made the girl feel uncomfortable.

Knott texted her the next day to say he was a bit rough and told her to delete the messages.

A parent raised her concerns to the school and the matter was investigated and passed to police.

Fife Council

Sharon McKenzie, head of HR at Fife Council, said the authority cant discuss individual circumstances of current or former staff members.

However, we take the safety and wellbeing of those in our care extremely seriously and will always take action against inappropriate or criminal behaviour within our organisation.

The council confirmed anyone involved in a crime of this nature would be dealt with under its disciplinary procedures.

Description

A Fife bodybuilder found guilty of four rapes could be imprisoned for life after a judge imposed stringent restrictions on him.

Craig Mackay was jailed for five years and an order for lifelong restriction was granted by the sentencing judge at the High Court in Glasgow.

The order means Mackay can only be freed after the five-year punishment portion of the sentence if the authorities are convinced he is no longer a danger to the public.

Even then, he will be subject to intensive supervision.

He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register when he was convicted at the High Court in Livingston after a trial in June.

Mackay, 33, of Ashgrove in Methil was found guilty of assaulting and raping a pair of 32-year-olds, one to the danger of her life.

At that time, Advocate depute Christopher Macintosh revealed Mackay had previously served a prison sentence for serious assault, with a domestic aggravation.

He had a string of convictions for domestic violence and disorder involving one of the women he went on to rape.

Admitted abuse, denied rape

In a victim impact statement one of the women told of being raped three times by the accused.

She gave evidence that she thought she was going to die when Mackay grabbed her by the throat and raped her.

She said: I couldnt breathe. I couldnt swallow.

The neighbour said the woman then gave her a very graphic description of being assaulted by the accused, who repeatedly made abusive phone calls to her as they spoke.

Mackay admitted being abusive but denied rape.

He had said: I was really volatile on drink and I come to blows quite a lot.

I maybe lifted my hands (but) one thing Im definitely not is a rapist.

I hate people who do things like that.

Description

Reported to be in Longniddry, EH32

A support worker who was twice caught performing a solo sex act outside Amazons Fife warehouse has been banned from working in the care industry.

Neil Cowan was placed on the Sex Offenders Register last year after he admitted pleasuring himself outside the Dunfermline retail complex in the early hours.

The 33-year-old initially told police his trousers were loose and had slipped down.

Now care home worker Cowan has been struck off after the Scottish Social Services Council found that his fitness to practice was impaired.

In its published findings, the watchdog states: The convictions are of an extremely serious nature.

They involve criminal behaviour which demonstrates a marked and wilful disregard for the safety and wellbeing of others.

Uncontrolled sexual deviancy

The SSSC added: We consider that there is a high and foreseeable risk of your repeating the behaviour, in a social care setting and generally, should you continue to be allowed to work in social services.

Cowan also failed to demonstrate meaningful insight, regret or apology and did not cooperate with the councils investigation.

Other sanctions such as a written warning would not be sufficient, the authority has ruled.

Stress relief

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard that Cowan, of Cocklaw Street, Kelty, had been trying to relieve stress caused by working through the Covid-19 pandemic.

His solicitor Ian Beatson, defending, said Cowans place of work had lost several residents during the crisis.

He uses sex as some relief from his problems, he said.

Sheriff Kevin Veal said he considered the acts to be premeditated.

Hes gone there deliberately in the early hours of the morning when he knew there would be people about, he said.

It was almost deliberately planned and not done on the spur of the moment. Thats what troubles me.

Cowan was placed on supervision for three years, under the condition he takes part in a rehabilitation scheme for sex offenders.

The court heard he was spotted on two separate occasions: the first time by a delivery driver at 2.20am on June 16, and just four days later by a man leaving the warehouse at 3.30am.

When charged by police, Cowan replied: My trousers are loose fitting and they may have fallen down. Im sorry.

Description

A sex attacker who raped a vulnerable teenager before committing a further rape on another victim has been jailed for seven years.

Andrew Brannan assaulted his first victim after the 16-year-old had been drinking in 2003.

He pretended to her mum that he would sober her up but raped her at a house in Buckhaven, Fife.

The 41-year-old struck again four years later when he attacked another woman, aged 21, at a house in Methil, Fife, when she was asleep.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: “On her evidence you acknowledged the next morning that you had done wrong.”

Lord Braid said the offence was aggravated by Brannan telling the victim that there was no point going to the police because she would not be believed.

Brannan had earlier denied raping the teenager between May and July in 2003 and assaulting and raping the second woman between April 23 and May 31 in 2007 but was found guilty of both offences.

The court heard that he continued to deny the charges a jury convicted him of committing.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson said: “He is entitled to maintain his innocence as he has done.”

He said the dad-of-three was assessed as posing low risk of similar offending.

The court heard that Brannan, who was earlier remanded in custody, has not previously served a jail sentence 

Lord Braid told Brannan that following the sentencing he would be placed on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.

Detective Constable Kenny Watt said: “The young women who agreed to testify against him have shown enormous courage from the time of being approached by the police to having to give evidence in court and their actions means Brannan will now face the consequences of his actions.

“We hope this outcome will help them and their families to move forward.

“I hope the bravery shown by the victim will encourage others who have suffered to come forward. 

“We will thoroughly investigate all reports of sexual offences to bring perpetrators of these crimes to justice.”

Description

A paedophile caught with thousands of sick images and videos of child abuse has been locked up.

Former company director Glyn Griffiths, 55, used 22 different online messenger platforms to download the vile material which featured children as young as two months old being abused.

Nearly 4,000 images and videos many at the highest level of depravity were recovered on a mobile phone and laptop following a raid on the home Griffiths shared with his wife and adult children.

Dundee Sheriff Court was told how Griffiths suffered from depression following the collapse of his business in 2014, as well as acting as full-time carer for his wife.

However, a sheriff ruled only a prison sentence could mark the gravity of Griffiths crime.

I have to take into account not only the number of images but the category they fall into, Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC said.

A significant amount of those images fall into categories A and B.

You will understand that downloading and viewing indecent images creates a demand and that in itself is based on the physical and sexual abuse of children.

I am afraid that given the nature of these offences, I require to send you to jail.

Things have got out of hand

Griffiths, who was working as a delivery driver at the time of his arrest, was snared after police received intelligence indecent images were being accessed from his address through the Mega storage platform.

His wife and son answered the door to police, who then searched the address.

Fiscal depute Emma Farmer said: The accused was at work at the time.

A systematic search was carried out.

A laptop was seized from a hallway cupboard.

The accused was traced by detective constables at his place of work in Cupar.

Following his arrest, Griffiths said: I have just been stupid.

Things have got out of hand. I have had problems with erotic stuff.

Just got out of hand with stuff. I havent taken pictures.

Sick material discovered

Cyber crime officers analysed the laptop and discovered 119 images and 112 videos featuring children aged between three months and 16 years being abused.

A mobile phone seized from Griffiths uncovered abuse images and video shared across multiple online messenger platforms.

The material featured boys and girls aged between two months and 16 years.

In total, 3,762 images and videos were recovered from the devices.

The total run-time of the videos was 23 hours and 30 minutes.

Jailed

Griffiths, of Bower Park, Gateside, previously pled guilty to taking or permitting to be taken indecent images between May 16, 2015 and October 26, 2017 and possessing such material between May 16, 2015 and September 29, 2020.

Solicitor Theo Finlay said: He has been quite frank and straightforward with the author of the social work report.

He had a propensity to view pornographic images and he then tipped into the viewing of these particular images.

He suffered from depression and sought solace through the misuse of alcohol.

He now expresses his abhorrence at his involvement in this offending.

Griffiths was sentenced to 15 months in prison and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

Description

A PROLIFIC sex predator has been jailed for 10 years for the "utterly appalling" abuse of two victims he subjected to repeated rape ordeals.

David Ferguson, 67, preyed on one victim when she was a teenager and subjected the other to sex assaults as a child.

Ferguson, who was first convicted of a sex crime in 1973, is currently serving another 10-year sentence jail imposed on him in 2015 for similar offences.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: "You have been convicted following trial of four charges of the sexual abuse of two women."

Lord Richardson said both victims had been subjected to "sustained abuse" by the rapist.

The judge said: "It is difficult to find words to describe the utterly appalling nature of what you have done."

He said it was clear from victim impact statements prepared by the women that Ferguson's crimes had "a profound impact" on them.

The judge told Ferguson that in sentencing him, he took into account his age and mental and physical health problems.

Lord Richardson said it was apparent to him that Ferguson was not in good health and had mobility difficulties.

But he told Ferguson: "However, a lengthy period in custody is the only appropriate sentence I can impose on you to reflect your appalling conduct."

The judge told him his latest 10-year prison term would begin from when his trial ended.

During the trial, Ferguson had denied a string of charges but was found guilty of four offences three of rape and one of attempted murder committed between October 1988 and August 2010 in Fife.

The first rape occurred at a house in Ballingry when he attacked a victim who was asleep when he began raping her and continued with the sex assault when she woke up. He subsequently attacked and molested the woman again at a property in Cowdenbeath.

Ferguson attacked his second victim when she was aged six or seven at a house in Cowdenbeath when he tried to rape the child.

He later went on to subject her to rape attacks committed in Cowdenbeath and Crossgates.

One victim told the court that he had made her feel "scared" as a child.

Ferguson was placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

Detectives from Police Scotlands Public Protection Unit in Fife carried out the investigation into Ferguson and reported him to the procurator fiscal in February 2019.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Dursley said: Ferguson subjected his victims to sustained violent abuse over the years and his sentencing sends a clear message that anyone found to be involved in this type of behaviour will be brought to justice.

I would like to thank his victims for their assistance during our inquiry. It is very difficult to speak about these types of crimes and they have showed immense courage during this investigation.

"My thoughts remain with the victims and their families, and I hope that Fergusons sentencing can bring them some solace in that the person responsible for these despicable actions has been held to account, and they can now move forward with their lives.

Police Scotland is resolutely committed to supporting victims of sexual crimes and investigating those responsible by bringing them to justice, no matter how much time has passed. I urge people to come forward to police and report it. They can be assured of being fully supported by officers and partner agencies.

Description

A man has been jailed for over 20 years for sexually abusing children in Doncaster in the 1980s and 90s

Stephen John Head, aged 56, formerly of Baird Crescent, Leven, in Fife, Scotland, appeared before a judge at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday (August 11), to be sentenced after he admitted 26 charges of sexual offences involving children at an earlier hearing on Monday August 2.

Head was sentenced to 20 years and 12 weeks in prison. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Head assaulted the three children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Doncaster in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Speaking after the sentencing, investigating officer Alexandra Storey, said: All three of the victims in this case were incredibly brave to come forward and report the horrific abuse they suffered at the hands of Stephen Head. I know that the original Investigating Officer Alison Shields is grateful to all of them for the support they have given during the lengthy investigation.

We hope that the significant custodial sentence handed down to Head yesterday will provide his victims with some comfort as they continue on their journey of recovery.

I also hope this result will give other victims of historic sexual abuse the confidence to talk to us.

Description

A MAN is awaiting sentence after admitting downloading over 300 indecent pictures and 16 videos including child pornography.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that the offences came to light when police acting on specific intelligence from the online child abuse prevention unit searched his home in the towns Westerloch Crescent.

James Adam Tait, 49, whose address was given as Frankfield Road, Dalgety Bay, had the images and videos on various devices.

Some were in folders that made finding the images harder for someone looking through the device, the court heard.

Tait admitted having indecent photographs of children between 15 March 2014 and 17 June 2019 and other pornographic images between 24 April 2016 and 25 June 2019.

Over half of the videos fell within the most serious category of child pornographic images, as did 21 of the stills images, the court heard.

There were also 199 indicative images of children posing in swimwear or sportswear.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank adjourned the hearing until 8 April for a criminal justice social enquiry report and ordered Tait to be placed on the sex offenders register and released on bail.

Description

A man who raped two women during a campaign of cruelty and control has been jailed for eight years.

Thomas Gordon, 54, carried out painful attacks on his victims and threatened to post topless pictures of a third woman to her work colleagues.

The attacks took place in Comrie and Aberdour in Fife between 2010 and 2016.

The judge at the High Court in Edinburgh told Gordon, formerly of Comrie, that all his victims had been "badly damaged" by his conduct.

Lady Scott said he had been convicted of charges that involved "a course of controlling, abusive and threatening conduct".

Gordon had denied a string of charges but was found guilty of two offences of rape and further crimes of assault and threatening and abusive behaviour.

One of his victims told the trial he had made her give up her job, and tried to stop her having contact with any men.

She said: "He took my phone away from me so I didn't have any numbers. I lost contact with my family because of him."

Gordon's defence lawyer said he continued to deny his guilt.

After the sentencing, Det Sgt Mark Kane, of Police Scotland, said Gordon presented "a significant risk to women".

He added: "It is only through the courage of his victims in coming forward and reporting what he had done, that he has now been brought to justice and I hope the sentence today brings some form of closure for these women.

"There is no time limit for anyone who has suffered abuse to come forward. It is never too late to report to the police or to seek support and advice from one of our partner agencies, such as Womens Aid.

"Equally, I hope this conviction sends a clear message to perpetrators that the passage of time is no barrier to investigations, nor access to justice for victims."