IRVINE RUGBY COACH KALLUM MCCRAE SENTENCED AFTER SENDING LEWD SNAPCHATS TO 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN KILMARNOCK

In January 2018, a disturbing case emerged involving a rugby coach from Irvine who was found guilty of sending inappropriate and explicit images to a young girl. The incident came to light when the victim’s father, who routinely checked his daughter’s phone, discovered the indecent pictures and videos sent via Snapchat. This discovery prompted him to contact the police, leading to the arrest of Kallum McCrae, a 19-year-old coach associated with Irvine Rugby Club.

McCrae, residing on Broomlands Place in Irvine, had established a connection with the girl through his involvement with the rugby club. The court proceedings took place at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, where it was revealed that McCrae had been communicating with the 14-year-old girl through Snapchat during the previous year. Over time, the nature of their messages escalated from casual exchanges to sexually explicit content.

The court heard that McCrae had sent the girl both lewd images and a video, with the intent of causing her to view sexual material. His actions were confirmed when he admitted to the police that he had sent these images on October 28 of the previous year. The charges against him included intentionally causing the girl to look at a sexual image, which involved the transmission of indecent photographs and a video.

Despite the serious nature of the case, McCrae was not sentenced to jail. Instead, he was given a community-based punishment. The court was informed that he still remains involved with Irvine Rugby Club, although he no longer coaches children. A club member, who wished to remain anonymous, stated, “As soon as the club found out about the charges against him, he was immediately removed from coaching. He is still a player with the club, but he has done a very stupid thing, and he has been dealt with by the court and will serve his punishment.”

The girl, who was 14 at the time, pleaded guilty during a hearing in December. Last week, at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, she was sentenced to a Community Payback Order, which includes 100 hours of unpaid work and a two-year supervision period. The case highlights the ongoing issues of safeguarding and the importance of vigilance within youth sports organizations, especially in communities like Irvine.