HENRY CALDER'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN FIFE, GLASGOW, AND KIRKINTILLOCH REVEAL HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Fife, Glasgow, and Kirkintilloch, Henry Calder, a 60-year-old man with a long history of involvement in the Scout movement, has been convicted of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of young boys and the production and distribution of child pornography. The severity of his offenses, spanning over three decades, has prompted widespread condemnation and a call for increased vigilance in safeguarding vulnerable children.

Calder, who dedicated approximately 40 years of his life to the Scout movement and rose to the position of Assistant District Commissioner, exploited his trusted role to indulge in his perverse desires. His criminal activities included sexually abusing boys during Scout camps held in the regions of Stirlingshire and Fife between the years 1982 and 1991. Evidence uncovered during police investigations revealed that Calder not only engaged in abusive acts but also recorded these moments on video, capturing boys in compromising situations. These recordings included scenes where boys poured chocolate over each other, with Calder encouraging them to perform lewd acts, thereby further entrenching his exploitation.

Authorities discovered tapes at Calder’s residence in Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, during a raid in July 2012. The police found a vast collection of illegal material, including video tapes, 8mm films, discs, and still images depicting child pornography. The total number of indecent images of children stored on Calder’s devices was staggering—140,201 images and 4,870 videos—highlighting the extent of his depravity. Calder, who was unmarried, pleaded guilty to five charges related to lewd and libidinous practices, as well as downloading illicit images of children between 2004 and 2012.

During the sentencing hearing at the High Court in Livingston, Lord Turnbull condemned Calder’s actions, emphasizing the profound breach of trust involved. He stated, “Conduct like this brings the otherwise great work by the Scouting Movement into disrepute. It is an abuse of the trust placed in you by the parents and of the trust placed in you by the boys.” The judge also pointed out the disturbing nature of Calder’s collection, describing it as “quite shocking,” and noting that Calder appeared to take pride in his collection of vile images, which served as “vile records of actual sexual abuse of children by adults.”

Further details of Calder’s criminal activities emerged from the investigation. Police found footage of Scout camps from the 1980s and 1990s, where Calder’s voice is heard interacting with boys, some of whom are in various states of undress or naked. The footage included scenes of boys in a Belfast sink pouring chocolate over each other, which Calder referred to as “chocolate baths.” The forensic analysis revealed that Calder had organized his collection in a highly structured manner, making it easier for him to access specific types of content quickly, indicating a calculated effort to indulge his perverse interests.

Calder’s criminal record also includes admissions of downloading images of children over an extended period, from December 2004 to July 2012. During the court proceedings, he was shown to have made disturbing remarks on the videos, such as writing “Out of order” on a young boy’s stomach with an arrow pointing to his private parts and commenting “This is rather pervy.” In another video, Calder is heard telling a young boy, “You have a lovely bum, I never forget a bum,” and encouraging boys to participate in contests to see who had the biggest penis. Police also uncovered footage of Calder urging boys to touch themselves and dance naked, further illustrating the extent of his exploitation.

In response to the revelations, the Clyde Regional Scout Council issued a statement condemning Calder’s actions, reaffirming that there is no place for such individuals within the youth movement. The case has raised serious questions about oversight and safeguarding within organizations that work closely with children, prompting calls for stricter measures to prevent similar abuses in the future. Calder’s sentencing was deferred, and he was placed on the sex offenders’ register, with the court emphasizing the gravity of his crimes and the need for ongoing monitoring.