CALLUM FINDLAY SHOCKING SEXUAL OFFENCES IN BANNORY AND STONEHAVEN

In December 2020, a disturbing case involving a man from the north-east of Scotland culminated in his being sentenced to prison for a series of heinous sexual offences involving minors. Callum Findlay, a 27-year-old resident of Forest Park in Stonehaven, was found guilty of sending explicit images and messages to young girls, some as young as 10 years old, through social media platforms, primarily Snapchat.

Findlay’s criminal activities came to light after a strategic operation involving a mother who posed as a 14-year-old girl on Snapchat. Her goal was to lure the suspect into revealing himself, which ultimately led to his arrest and subsequent court proceedings. The case was heard at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where Sheriff Graham Buchanan emphasized the severity of Findlay’s actions, stating that the offences were too grave to be handled by any means other than imprisonment.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Findlay had used Snapchat to send sexually explicit images of himself, which he then distributed indiscriminately to multiple recipients. His address, as presented in court documents, was in Forest Park, Stonehaven. The court heard that he had previously pleaded guilty to six charges, including causing a woman to view a sexual image without her consent, and causing a 10-year-old girl to see such images. Additionally, he admitted to sending written sexual communications without consent and causing two teenagers to view explicit images, with a further charge involving a third minor.

In his sentencing, Sheriff Buchanan made it clear that such behaviour towards children is taken very seriously by the court. He stated, “These are serious matters. You sent these images and messages to children including one who was as young as 10. It needs to be clear that behaviour of this type towards children is something which the court will treat very seriously indeed.” The judge sentenced Findlay to 14 months in prison and ordered that he be subject to the notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act.

Earlier in the case, prosecutor Felicity Merson outlined the extent of Findlay’s online interactions. She explained that between November 1, 2018, and February 28, 2019, Findlay used a false name to contact six females via Snapchat. He concealed his face in all images and videos sent, making identification difficult. One notable incident involved a 20-year-old woman with whom he exchanged general messages before sending her a sexually explicit video and two close-up images of his mouth with his teeth visible.

Further investigations revealed that on April 14, 2019, Findlay sent a friend request to a 10-year-old girl using his fake identity. His location settings were turned off, and he exchanged a small number of messages with her. When she asked who he was, he claimed to have mutual friends and asked her to send a picture, which she did. He responded by calling her “cutie” and sent her an image of a young male, pretending it was himself. The girl, who was only 10, pointed out her age, and the following day, she discovered multiple sexually explicit videos from Findlay on her phone, which caused her distress.

Her mother, who saw her crying, took her to school, where she confided in a teacher. The girl’s parents were then contacted by authorities. The following day, another mother at the school learned from her 14-year-old daughter that a male had attempted to contact her on Snapchat. This mother also sent a friend request to Findlay, which he accepted immediately. During their interaction, he claimed to be 18, living in Aberdeen, and attending a secondary school. When she revealed her age as 14, he responded with “cool.” She then asked for a photo, which was the same image he had sent to the 10-year-old girl.

Findlay continued to send sexually explicit videos to her, approximately 20 videos between April 15 and April 17, 2019. These videos did not show his face, but a male voice with an Aberdeen accent could be heard making sexual comments and referring to himself as “daddy.” The woman who received these videos noted that the location settings on the profile indicated Findlay was in Stonehaven. She later handed over a USB stick containing the videos to police.

In addition to these victims, Findlay added three more females—two aged 16 and one aged 15—using the same false identity and sent them explicit videos over several weeks. He also engaged in inappropriate messaging, asking the 15-year-old to send pictures and making vile sexual comments. The girl eventually confided in her sister, who contacted the police.

Police investigations linked Findlay to these offences through a telephone number used in the communications. They identified his address and confirmed his identity through social media searches, noting the similarities in his teeth in the images and videos. A search warrant was executed at his residence in October 2019, where police found evidence consistent with the videos and images sent to victims. Findlay was subsequently arrested at his home, and the case was brought before the court for sentencing.

In conclusion, the court’s decision underscores the gravity of Findlay’s actions, emphasizing the importance of protecting children from online exploitation. His 14-month prison sentence and the requirement to register under the Sexual Offences Act serve as a stark reminder of the serious consequences of such behaviour.