KENNEDY GRAY OF LETHAM FEUS IN LUNDIN LINKS AND LEVENMOUTH ESCAPES JAIL AFTER SEXUAL ABUSE IN FIFE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Largo and Levenmouth, Kennedy Gray, a 55-year-old man residing in Letham Feus, Lundin Links, was convicted of sexually abusing two young girls over a period spanning several years. Despite the gravity of his crimes, Gray narrowly avoided a custodial sentence, leaving many victims' families feeling both outraged and betrayed.

Gray’s offending began when the victims were just eight and 13 years old. The abuse took place at various addresses within the Levenmouth area, where Gray repeatedly subjected the girls to inappropriate and sexual acts. The first signs of Gray’s predatory behavior emerged in March 2011, when the youngest victim disclosed that he had grabbed her hand and placed it down his trousers while they were watching television together on a couch. She described feeling “a bit scared and a wee bit weird,” but she did not initially tell anyone, fearing disbelief and shame.

Gray’s misconduct extended beyond this incident. The young girl later recounted that he had entered her mother’s bedroom wearing only a towel and had exposed himself to her. She also reported that Gray would repeatedly touch her on the bottom, further traumatizing her. These acts of abuse persisted over the years, with the girl eventually confiding in her family about the abuse during a role-playing game about social workers in 2014. However, her initial disclosure was met with skepticism, and she retracted her statement after some relatives did not believe her.

Despite the family’s doubts, Gray’s abusive behavior continued. It was only in 2017 that the girl’s allegations prompted police involvement. Gray was subsequently charged and brought to trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court. During the proceedings, evidence was presented that he had repeatedly tried to make her touch him, touched her on her buttocks and breasts, and made sexual remarks towards her. The court also heard that Gray had walked into her mother’s bedroom wearing just a towel and had exposed himself again.

The second victim, who was 13 when the abuse began, also testified against Gray. She described how he had repeatedly attempted to coerce her into touching him, had touched her on her buttocks and breasts, and had tickled her while making sexual comments. The timeline of her abuse was established between March 2013 and July 2014 at an address in Buckhaven. Although one of the charges was not proven, the jury found Gray guilty of four counts of sexual assault, including the abuse of both girls.

Gray denied all allegations throughout the trial, but the jury’s verdict was clear. Sheriff Alastair Thornton found him guilty and ordered that he be placed on the sex offenders register for five years. Additionally, Gray was subjected to two years of supervised release, with strict conditions prohibiting any unsupervised contact with individuals under 16. He is also required to disclose any new relationships or friendships to his supervising officer. As part of his sentence, Gray must complete 250 hours of unpaid community service within nine months and is subject to a six-month restriction of liberty order.

Sheriff Thornton issued a stern warning, stating, “If you breach any of these conditions, you will leave me with little option but to send you to prison.”

Family members of the victims expressed their anguish and frustration. One mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stated, “We will never forget what this has done to our families but more importantly to those kids. They’ve been forced to keep quiet for all these years due to fear and disrespect shown by their own family members who did not believe them. This monster has taken a piece of both those girls that they will never get back. He destroyed their childhoods and this will leave them with emotional scars that will never fully heal.”

She also criticized Gray’s conduct in court, revealing that he had smirked at the families after sentencing. “He had the cheek to look us parents in the eye after being given his sentence today and smirked,” she said. “He has shown no remorse at all. He laughed and sneered from trial to sentencing. For anyone who is accused of a crime like this to behave like that just goes to show what a monster he really is.”