ANTONY HUNTER ON THE RUN AFTER SCOTLAND BAIL MISTAKE IN FIFE AND LOUGHBOROUGH
In a troubling development, Antony Hunter, a convicted paedophile with connections to both Fife and Loughborough, has gone into hiding after being granted bail by the court, despite serious concerns about his ongoing offending behavior.Hunter, aged 35, had previously appeared before Dunfermline sheriff Charles Macnair, where he was warned that a custodial sentence was 'almost inevitable' given the nature of his offences and his history.
During that court appearance, Hunter admitted to downloading more than 300 illegal images depicting children while residing with his mother in Rosyth, Fife.
His actions drew significant concern from law enforcement and the judiciary, especially considering his prior conviction for engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl in 2011.
Hunter's criminal record and ongoing offending behavior underscored the gravity of his case.
Despite the serious allegations, Hunter was granted bail, a decision later acknowledged by Sheriff Macnair as a 'mistake.' The judge admitted that his decision was flawed after defence solicitor Roshni Joshi pointed out that Hunter was not present in court for his sentencing.
This oversight allowed Hunter to remain free, even as he continued to pose a risk.
Hunter also admitted to breaching a court order, specifically a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which mandated that he inform authorities of his whereabouts.
He failed to do so when he moved from Loughborough to Fife, further demonstrating a disregard for legal restrictions.
His breaches included having unsupervised contact with two young girls, aged five and ten, in Burntisland, Fife, between August 10 and August 24 of the previous year.
During this period, Hunter shared a room with the younger girl, raising serious concerns about his interactions with minors.
Despite the gravity of these offences and the breaches, Hunter was released on bail and did not appear for his scheduled sentencing.
Sheriff Macnair expressed his concern, stating, 'It’s very concerning you committed a serious sexual offence on a child in 2011.
You were placed on a SOPO.
You breached it by staying with these young children and having unsupervised contact with them.
During this time, you downloaded child pornography.' Following these events, the court ordered reports and a psychological assessment, emphasizing the risk Hunter posed.
The sheriff reiterated that his continued bail was a mistake, noting that an imprisonment was 'almost inevitable.' Now, Hunter has disappeared, and authorities are actively searching for him, fearing he may pose a continued threat to the community in both Fife and Loughborough.
