CAMERON ALLAN AND DYLAN BRISTER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER AND SEXUAL OFFENCES IN METHIL

At the High Court in Dundee, Lord Harrower delivered a severe judgment, sentencing Dylan Brister and Cameron Allan to life imprisonment following their conviction on charges of sexual assault, rape, and murder. The court also specified the minimum periods they must serve before being eligible for parole—23 years for Brister and 19 years for Allan—highlighting the gravity of their crimes.

During the sentencing, Lord Harrower emphasized the devastating impact of their actions on the victim’s family. He stated: "Dylan Brister and Cameron Allan, by the unanimous verdict of the jury, you have been found guilty of the sexual assault, rape and murder of Calum Simpson. At the time of his death, on 3 November 2021, Calum Simpson was only 24 years old. He left behind four young children, and just eleven days prior to his tragic death, his partner had given birth to their newest child. The personal statements from Calum’s partner, mother, and aunt vividly illustrate the profound grief and suffering inflicted upon his family. The court recognizes that many milestones in the children’s lives will now be missed, milestones that their father will no longer be able to share, and no sentence can truly ease their pain."

Lord Harrower detailed the circumstances leading to Calum Simpson’s death, noting that the evidence did not fully clarify how he ended up at the flat of the accused. It appeared that Simpson had been socializing the previous evening with a friend, Dylan Stewart, who was also known to both Brister and Allan. The two accused had been in intermittent contact with Stewart throughout that day regarding various matters. Around 7:30 pm, they invited Stewart to their flat, by which time Simpson was already in Stewart’s company. A text message sent at 19:38 indicated that the accused intended to have a quiet night in, with no indication that Simpson was aware of the dangerous plans being set in motion.

Unbeknownst to Simpson, the accused had been attempting to arrange a threesome that evening, involving a third young man they had been negotiating with via Grindr, a dating app. This individual later testified that the accused had expressed intentions to “tie [him] up and use [him],” but the plan was abandoned after the young man became wary upon hearing about drugs involved. Unfortunately, Simpson’s misfortune was that shortly after arriving at the flat, he was drugged by the accused, who had spiked his drinks with street valium—a potent sedative containing Etizolam, which is ten times stronger than Valium and not available through prescription in the UK.

While Simpson was unconscious, the accused subjected him to a sustained assault. This included tying him up, raping him, and engaging in other acts of penetrative sexual abuse using fingers and a device described in court as a “sex toy.” The forensic medical examiner described the injuries as full-thickness lacerations, which would have caused significant pain if Simpson had been conscious. The accused had recorded several videos of their activities on a mobile phone but managed to delete them before police could examine the device. However, police later recovered a video from 2:45 am, which clearly showed Simpson was profoundly sedated during the abuse.

Instead of seeking medical help, the accused left Simpson lying unconscious. When they woke later that morning, they found him cold and stiff. To conceal their crimes, the accused locked the remaining drugs in a safe and handed it to a neighbor. They attempted to call emergency services at 11:52 am but aborted the call before it was answered. Shortly after, at 11:55 am, they contacted Stewart, who was the last person besides the accused to see Simpson alive. It was not until 12:03 pm that they finally called emergency services, who confirmed Simpson was dead upon arrival.

Both accused were aware of the dangers associated with street valium, especially given Simpson’s vulnerability due to his low tolerance and alcohol consumption. During the trial, each blamed the other for administering the drugs. Nonetheless, evidence indicated that they had jointly planned to ensure Simpson could not get up, revealing a reckless indifference to his life. The jury was entitled to conclude that their actions amounted to murder, driven by wicked recklessness rather than specific intent.

In sentencing, Lord Harrower explained that the only lawful penalty for murder is life imprisonment, with a specified period before parole eligibility—known as the punishment part. The court considered the seriousness of the murder, the other offences, and the defendants’ backgrounds, including troubled upbringings and mental health issues. Brister, now 28, was not subject to the youth sentencing guidelines, but the court acknowledged his relative youth at the time of the crimes. Allan, aged 18 at the time and now 21, was treated under the youth guidelines, with the court considering his level of maturity and prospects for rehabilitation.

Addressing Dylan Brister first, Lord Harrower sentenced him to nine years for sexual assault and related offences, with additional sentences for assaulting police officers committed while on bail. Brister had prior convictions, including assault causing severe injury and impeding health workers. He also pled guilty to parts of the rape and sexual assault charges at the start of the trial. His life sentence for murder was fixed with a minimum term of 23 years, all sentences to run concurrently and backdated to November 5, 2021.

Turning to Cameron Allan, the judge expressed concern over his inconsistent and self-pitying accounts during police interviews, noting the implausibility and contradictions in his statements. Despite this, the court acknowledged his adverse childhood experiences supported by independent evidence and his lack of previous convictions. Allan was sentenced to eight years for the sexual offences, with an indefinite notification requirement under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. His life sentence for murder was set with a minimum term of 19 years, to run concurrently and backdated to July 19, 2024, the date of his remand after trial. The court emphasized that the brief periods of remand prior to trial had minimal impact on the overall sentence.