NAIRN MAN CRAIG MCNEILL SENTENCED FOR THREATS AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF SCHOOLGIRLS IN NAIRN AND INVERNESS

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Nairn and the surrounding areas, Craig McNeill has been sentenced to prison for a series of heinous crimes involving the coercion and exploitation of young girls through social media platforms. The offences, which spanned from February 2018 to November 2019, involved a total of 11 schoolgirls aged between 12 and 16, who were targeted by McNeill in a calculated campaign of intimidation and manipulation.

McNeill, a resident of Loch Avenue in Nairn, was brought before Inverness Sheriff Court last month, where he faced multiple charges related to his online misconduct. He pleaded guilty to 12 charges out of a total of 33, including three counts of extortion, one of attempted extortion, one of distributing indecent images, and seven of obtaining sexual gratification through the sending of indecent communications. The court had initially deferred sentencing to allow for a comprehensive background report to be prepared.

Yesterday, Sheriff Margaret Neilson handed down a custodial sentence of 27 months to McNeill, emphasizing the severity and scale of his crimes. The sheriff stated, “Such is the sheer scale and nature of these offences, only a custodial sentence is appropriate.” In addition to his prison term, McNeill was ordered to be placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for a period of ten years, reflecting the serious nature of his offences.

Details of the investigation reveal that McNeill initially used his real name when communicating with the victims but later adopted false identities, pretending to be multiple other men. His tactics included threatening to kill the mother of one of the girls if she did not send him explicit photographs. Despite her sending two fully clothed images and subsequently blocking him, McNeill continued his campaign of harassment.

Other victims either blocked McNeill after receiving indecent images or videos from him or reported his activities to social media platforms such as Snapchat. One girl, fearing the consequences of his threats to distribute her images or harm her family, ultimately complied with his demands. Several girls confided in their parents or teachers about the threats and coercion they faced.

Following police investigations, authorities confirmed that all the online usernames used by McNeill were registered at his home address. A search warrant was executed, leading to the seizure of his mobile phone. Analysis of the device revealed that it had been used to create some of the false identities and to communicate with the victims, requesting them to send explicit images. The evidence collected was instrumental in securing the charges and subsequent conviction of Craig McNeill, whose actions have left a lasting impact on the young girls involved and the wider community of Nairn and Inverness.