PAISLEY OFFENDER SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Gary MacPherson, a 58-year-old from Saltcoats, has been convicted of multiple sexual offenses including raping eight young girls over a 16-year period between 2005 and 2022 in Paisley. He was found guilty of 22 charges, such as rape, taking inappropriate photographs of the children without consent, and stalking. The court heard that MacPherson crafted his home environment to appeal to children by including amenities like a pool, hot tub, cinema room, trampoline, and pets. He manipulated victims by sending social media messages about his dog Bonnie and instructed them to keep the abuse secret, gaining their trust and abusing them at various locations, including his former residence. The youngest victim was just six years old when the abuse commenced. On June 30, 2025, the High Court sentenced MacPherson to an extended term of 17 years, with 13 years to be served in custody. His name has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely, and non-harassment orders have been issued to prevent contact with seven victims. Fiona Kirkby, the Procurator Fiscal, emphasized that the prosecution demonstrated a pattern of grooming and abuse, thanking the victims for coming forward. Police Scotland welcomed the sentence, with Detective Inspector Euan McMillan highlighting the offender’s prolonged abuse and praising the police efforts to bring him to justice. Authorities continue to encourage reporting of sexual crimes regardless of when they occurred.