STIRLING ALBION COACH BLAIR BARLOW GUILTY OF SEX OFFENCES INVOLVING TEENAGE BOYS IN STIRLING

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Stirling, Blair Barlow, a 22-year-old former football coach and mascot associated with Stirling Albion, was found guilty of serious sexual offences involving minors. The incident, which took place over a span of nearly two years, culminated in a court ruling that has significant implications for Barlow’s future and has raised concerns about safety and trust within local youth sports programs.

On a day in July 2018, Barlow was brought before Stirling Sheriff Court to face sentencing after being convicted of attempting to cause a child to view a sexualised image, a crime under the 2009 Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act. The court heard that Barlow, who had previously been involved with the Stirling Albion Junior Academy and had also served as a coach for Active Stirling, had engaged in inappropriate communications with minors, including sending explicit images and messages.

The court was informed that Barlow, who performed as the mascot Bino the Bear for Stirling Albion, had claimed that he had 'misclicked' on his mobile device, accidentally sending an explicit image of his penis to a 15-year-old boy via Snapchat. However, evidence presented during the trial revealed that the image was intentionally sent, and Barlow had intended to use the image as part of a sexual proposition on the gay dating app Grindr. The court also learned that Barlow had sent sexualised messages to the victim and to one of the victim’s 15-year-old friends, discussing masturbation and engaging in inappropriate banter.

It was further established that the incident occurred between May 1, 2015, and May 9, 2017. The court heard that the two boys, who were not connected to Barlow’s football coaching activities, were in one of their bedrooms when the explicit image unexpectedly appeared on one of their iPads. The court was told that Barlow, who had denied any wrongdoing, was caught after the mother of the 15-year-old boy noticed suspicious messages on her son’s phone. Police investigations led to Barlow’s arrest in May of the previous year.

During the proceedings, Barlow admitted to police that he had on another occasion asked the boy about masturbation, claiming it was meant as 'banter.' Despite his denials, the court found him guilty of attempting to cause a child to view a sexualised image. Sheriff William Gilchrist emphasized the seriousness of the offence but acknowledged Barlow’s status as a first-time offender and the consequences he had already faced, including suspension from his coaching duties and registration on the sex offenders’ register.

As part of his sentence, Barlow was placed under social work supervision for two years under a community payback order. The court also ordered that he be added to the sex offenders’ register, reflecting the gravity of his actions. The case has cast a shadow over Barlow’s involvement with Stirling Albion, where he was known to have been a dedicated, albeit controversial, figure. The club confirmed that Barlow was suspended immediately after the allegations surfaced, and his role with the club was effectively terminated.

In the weeks leading up to his conviction, Barlow’s conduct as the Stirling Albion mascot, Bino the Bear, had come under scrutiny. He was seen dressed in the mascot costume during community events, which allowed him to get close to children. An insider from Stirling Albion described Barlow as a familiar face around the club, noting that he had made himself indispensable despite not being a highly skilled coach. The insider expressed feelings of betrayal, stating, “He’s been around the club for years. To be honest, he wasn’t much of a coach but he had qualifications coming out of his ears and he was a friendly lad. Every time you bumped into him, he was doing more and more around the place – he’d made himself ­indispensable, part of the furniture. A lot of people feel totally betrayed that he’s used friendships and the club itself to get close to children.”

Police had acted swiftly after the mother of the victim discovered suspicious messages on her son’s phone. The boy, who was a youth footballer but not affiliated with Stirling Albion, was identified as a victim of Barlow’s inappropriate conduct. The police investigation revealed that Barlow had helped lead an under-15s trip to Holland just weeks before his arrest. Following the police intervention, Stirling Albion confirmed that Barlow was suspended from all activities involving children, and he was subsequently charged and convicted of the offences. The case has sparked widespread concern about safeguarding measures within local sports organizations and the importance of vigilance to protect young athletes from exploitation.