Description
A sex offender who terrorised women and girls is facing a lengthy jail term after being convicted of his crimes. John McKechnie was found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh.
He was convicted of two charges by a jury, having earlier pleaded guilty to 14 other offences. The 32-year-old was convicted of rape, possessing indecent images of children, and domestic abuse offences.
The court heard he preyed on women and girls in West Lothian between 2015 and 2022. Detective Inspector Adrian Ure, of Police Scotland's National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, spoke out after his conviction.
He said: "John McKechnie's offending and behaviour was appalling. He showed complete and utter contempt for the abuse he inflicted upon his victims, and the horrific sexual abuse featuring in the images and videos he was viewing.
"There is no hiding place for these offenders, and as a result of our investigation, he will now rightly face the consequences of his actions. Any form of child sexual abuse is a serious criminal offence and is a priority for Police Scotland.
"We encourage anyone with concerns about a child at risk of abuse, or a potential victim, to contact police immediately." McKechnie is due to be sentenced for the offences next month