Latest Offenders Fife

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A sick barman used ‘JimmySavile’ as the password on the account he used to download 2,000 indecent images of children.

Iain Syme’s illegal hoard referenced the disgraced former television star, who is widely understood to be one of the country’s most prolific sex offenders.

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A pervert scout leader from Fife, who sexually abused young boys in his group, has been jailed for 45 months.

Police have welcomed the jailing of John Somerville for historic indecent assaults and behaviour they described as abhorrent.

Somerville, 57, plied the boys with alcohol, started games which ended with the boys having to take their clothes off as forfeits and sexually abused them. The three victims were aged between 13 and 14. He preyed on the youngsters after taking them on camping trips across Scotland in the 1990s. Two of his victims were in court to see Somerville sent to prison.

He had avoided jail after being convicted of similar offences in 2006 and had gone on to run a gardening business. Somerville, of Greenwell Park, Glenrothes, was sentenced at Dunfermline Sheriff Court having previously admitted a catalogue of offending against the boys.

On various occasions between1996 and 1998 in Glenrothes, within a vehicle travelling to various locations within Fife and Glasgow and at various camping locations in Scotland, he indecently assaulted a boy then aged 14 years.

Somerville also admitted that on various occasions between June 1996 and 1997 in Glenrothes and various camping locations in Scotland, he used lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards another boy then aged 13. He also admitted that on an occasion between December 1998 and February 1999, he indecently assaulted a third boy then aged 14.

Defence solicitor Peter Robertson said, This was abhorrent and predatory behaviour and that is accepted by him. He is full of remorse and understanding. He is not asking for forgiveness as he says he doesnt deserve it. He accepts he was abusing his position as leader. Hes very regretful about the long-standing pain and suffering and what hes stolen from their childhood. He doesnt recall some things but doesnt deny they happened.

Mr Robertson said his client has a son: He has thought about how he would feel if someone had done that to his child. He feels completely disgusted about that, added the solicitor.

Sheriff William Gilchrist said it was not clear from the social work report whether Somerville was indeed remorseful. The sheriff said his actions were a serious breach of trust, involved a degree of planning and targeted vulnerable children. He jailed Somerville for 45 months backdated to 9th March when he was remanded in custody. Somerville will also be subject to a 12-month supervised release order and was put on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

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A man who was convicted of violent offences and serious sexual assaults has been jailed for 10 years.

James Christopher Armour, 57, was convicted following a trial at the High Court in Stirling on Thursday, 23 March 2023.

He was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow today, Wednesday, 31 May, 2023.

The offences were committed in the Fife area between 1983 and 1989.

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A Fife man caught with more than 90,000 extreme porn images and videos had amassed the collection over the course of 15 years.

Gary Gray had a server running in his garage and dozens of hard drives containing the vile images were found.

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A former security guard at Levens Diageo complex was caught by fellow workers after sending a sexually explicit message to a 14-year-old girl.

David Andersons colleagues had become concerned about the 56-year-olds behaviour on his phone to someone they suspected was a young female, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard.

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A sex pest who assaulted four teenagers as a female and struggled with police as a male, has been jailed.

Luke Spencer was a 20-year-old woman known as Krista when the offender seized and kissed a teenage girl at Glenrothes bus station, slapped anothers buttocks in Dunfermline and groped two more youngsters after drinking with them.

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A convicted rapist has admitted an evil and wicked assault on a man who was winding him up about his past convictions.

Darren Butler, 42, previously admitted punching Ernest Boundy on the head and kicking him on the body outside The Beath Inn, Cowdenbeath, in December last year.

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A Rosyth man sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl after showering her with gifts.

Craig Hamilton sent the youngster naked images of himself and urged her to reciprocate.

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A 'narcissistic predator' found guilty of multiple rapes, serious physical and sexual assault over a twenty-year campaign of terror has been caged for 12 years.

James Cunningham, 56, was found guilty of multiple rapes of three different women as well as serious physical and sexual assaults of others on February 3. He carried out the offences on women and children in Fife between 1985 and 2008.

His crimes were reported to police in 2019 and an investigation was launched. At the High Court in Livingston today (March 2), he was jailed for 12 years with an extension period of four years and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

During a trial last month, the jury found Cunningham guilty unanimously on all but one charge, and guilty by a majority of the remaining charge.

The offender groomed young vulnerable females by placing himself in a position of power over them before committing numerous sexual and physical offences "of the most serious kind".

Judge Susan Craig said: "You had conducted years of abusive, manipulative and controlling behaviour of your victims whose lives continue to be blighted by your appalling treatment of them.

"When they tried to escape from you, you used that power to force them back and continued to abuse them. When, in time, they were able to escape from your influence you would immediately replace them with another young victim who you would again subject to years of sexual and physical abuse.

"Your controlling and abusive behaviour wasn’t confined to your sexual relationships but extended to those over whom you had power. You made their lives a misery by controlling what they could and couldn’t do and imposing random rules of behaviour.

"If they did not behave according to your rules you would use physical and humiliating punishments. Their childhoods were blighted by your appalling treatment. That they have been able to make successful lives as adults is a testament to their resilience in spite of, not because of, what you did."

Judge Craig described a criminal social work report into Cunningham as "grim reading". It stated that his sexual and violent abuse was committed against intimate partners as well as children.

Cunningham continued to plead his innocent throughout his trial and significantly blamed his victims. Judge Craig said the 56-year-old posed a high risk of committing further sexual and violent offences against females of all ages and due to the gravity of his crimes a custodial sentences was the only appropriate outcome.

Detective Constable Ross French from Fife Division said: “Cunningham is a narcissistic predator who has refused to admit his guilt and has shown no remorse for his despicable crimes.

“I want to commend the victims for the strength they have shown throughout this investigation and trial. My thoughts remain with them and I hope that this sentencing brings them some comfort and helps them move forward.

“We have detectives dedicated to investigating such offences, and no matter how much time has passed, please report it. You can be assured that you will be fully supported by officers and our partner agencies."

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A creep from St Andrews who sent sex messages to a girl he thought was 13 has been jailed.

Paul Wilson, 51, believed he was engaging in a bit of “harmless fun”, telling “Summer” he had been having “sexy dreams” about her and said he could not believe her age.

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A Fife paedophile groomed a nine-year-old girl from North Yorkshire after meeting her on TikTok.

Pervert Dale Henderson – already on the Sex Offenders Register following four previous, similar offences – was caught when the girl’s mother inspected her phone.

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An evil Scots rapist has been jailed for 'despicable' sex attacks against a number of victims.

Stephen Whyte was caged for 15 years following a sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, January 5. The 47-year-old was convicted of a number of sexual and violent offences, including rape.

The crimes took place in the Fife area between 2006 and 2020. Officers say Whyte 'took advantage' of his victims, who were praised for their immense courage in reporting his abhorrent actions.

The outcome of the trial should "encourage survivors of sexual abuse to get in touch with police as reports are sure to be rigorously probed, regardless of their historic nature", cops added.

Detective Inspector Frank Keegan of Police Scotland said: Stephen Whyte took advantage of his victims over a number of years and he will now face the consequences of his despicable actions in prison.

His victims were incredibly brave to come forward and report Whyte, then give evidence in court. Our thoughts remain with them and I hope that todays sentencing will give them some comfort and help them move forward.

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

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The boss of an East Neuk convenience store sexually assaulted a 15-year-old customer in direct view of two of her friends.

Rajiv Sharma’s brazen assault of the teenage girl was also in the line of sight of his own CCTV camera.

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Craig Slezas, 33, was caged on Tuesday after being convicted of sexually assaulting four women during an eight year long campaign of offending.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how three of his victims were subjected to rape.

Slezas, of Castle Street, Crail, had denied a string of charges during a trial. However, he was convicted of a total of 11 other offences committed between January 2008 and January 2016.

Making reference to a report detailing Slezas’s background, Lord Arthurson said: “You have not demonstrated any insight into your offending nor have you shown any remorse to the complainers. During your interview you engaged in what could be best described as victim blaming.

“The only appropriate disposal in this case is the imposition of a significant custodial sentence. I am very concerned about the risk you pose to the public and especially to women.”

Slezas had faced a total of 24 charges but several were withdrawn by the Crown. He was acquitted of two offences following the jury's verdict last month - sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain reports.

One of the women told the court of how she felt disgusted by the behaviour of Slezas, who worked as a greenkeeper at the Fairmont Hotel’s course in St Andrews.

Describing how he raped her, the woman told the court that Slezas ignored her requests not to have sex whilst at a house in Fife.

She told prosecutor Peter Ferguson KC: “I told him I wasn’t in the mood. He kept on trying but I said I wasn’t interested. I just froze He asked me why I was crying. I just cried.”

One of Slezas’ victims was a teenage girl who he molested in a car in St Andrews when she was aged 14. He went on to have unlawful under age sex with the girl at Craigtoun Park, in a vehicle parked at a layby near Dairsie and at a beach.

Slezas later shouted and swore at her and sexually assaulted and raped her at a house in Ansthruther on two occasions.

He also abducted another woman at a house in Crail when he locked the door preventing her from leaving, and assaulted her by seizing her by the body and grabbing her bag. He subjected her to a further assault and rape at a house in Cupar.

Slezas committed a further rape on another woman at a house in Fort William in the Highlands in January 2014. His final crime was committed in January 2016 when he abducted a woman in a car in Methil as he shouted and acted aggressively, refusing to stop and driving erratically resulting in her hitting the dashboard.

Slezas observed court proceedings via video link. Defence advocate Neil Murray KC said Slezas was “effectively” the sole carer for his mother.

Mr Murray also told the court that his client had learning difficulties. He added: “He does not seek to produce any sort of explanation for his behaviour. The lack of serious insight maybe the result of his intellectual difficulties.”

Lord Arthurson also placed Slezas on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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A Glenrothes sex offender was told his “deviant” sexual interests are legal – so long as he does not act on them.

Richard Heatherill was jailed for a catalogue of offending against multiple teenage girls.