WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM FROM ISLE OF ARRAN AND NEWMILNS JAILED FOR REPEATED OFFENSES AGAINST CHILDREN

In a series of serious legal actions spanning several years, William Cunningham, a known sex offender from Newmilns and the Isle of Arran, has faced multiple convictions and incarcerations due to his repeated breaches of court orders designed to protect minors.

In January 2017, Cunningham, aged 50, was sentenced to four months in prison after admitting to violating the conditions of his sex offenders registration. The court had previously ordered him to refrain from any physical or verbal contact with individuals under the age of 16. This restriction mandated that he stay away from public parks, children’s play areas, leisure centers, schools, and nurseries unless under proper supervision.

The violation occurred between July 1 and July 31 of the previous year when Cunningham was found in Dean Castle Country Park without any valid reason or supervision, directly contravening the court’s order issued at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court in May 2010. His presence in the park, a popular recreational spot, was considered a serious breach of the restrictions placed upon him.

Earlier that week, Cunningham appeared before the court and received a four-month jail sentence for this breach. His criminal record is extensive; in October of the same year, he was sentenced to an additional 10 months at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court after failing to notify police of an alias he was using, further demonstrating his ongoing disregard for legal restrictions.

William Cunningham’s history with the law is marked by multiple convictions, including a high-profile case in March 2015. At that time, he was again detained for being near a busy playground in Howard Park, Kilmarnock, which features a well-frequented adventure playground. Cunningham, then 48, was considered so dangerous that police had obtained a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) against him in 2010, which prohibited all contact with children under 16.

Following his breach of the SOPO, Cunningham was brought before Sheriff Shirley Foran at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, where he was sentenced to 15 months in prison after admitting to violating the order in November. His criminal history is extensive, with 34 prior convictions that include sex offenses, attempted murder, and cruelty towards animals and children. Notably, in August of the previous year, Cunningham received a nine-month sentence for similar offenses after being caught multiple times in Howard Park over a two-month period.

His criminal activities date back to 2001 when he fled to Holy Isle in the Firth of Clyde, living with Buddhist monks before being apprehended by police arriving via helicopter. Over the years, Cunningham has served multiple prison terms, including four years for lewd and libidinous behavior and nearly five years for attempted murder in 2007.

In August 2014, Cunningham, then 47, was again jailed after being caught near a popular playground, which led to a nationwide manhunt. His repeated breaches of the court orders, combined with his extensive criminal record, underscore his status as one of Scotland’s most dangerous sex offenders. The police had obtained a SOPO in May 2010, which he repeatedly violated by entering designated areas where children are present.

His history of flight and evasion includes a notable incident in 2011 when he was traced to Holy Isle, a small Scottish island owned by Tibetan monks. He failed to attend court on 23 May 2011 after breaching the order and was later found on Holy Isle, inside the bay of Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. The court heard that Cunningham was well aware of the restrictions imposed on him but continued to pose a significant risk to children and the public.

During the investigation, police discovered Cunningham attempting to buy a motorbike from a man whose 11-year-old daughter was present. Cunningham falsely claimed he was new to the area and that his mother had recently died. Despite being in the company of children, he made no effort to leave. When police visited his residence the following month, he was uncooperative and refused to disclose how he obtained the motorbike.

He was eventually arrested on Holy Isle after police, armed with an arrest warrant, broke into his flat when he failed to appear in court. An appeal for assistance in locating Cunningham was circulated widely in the media, leading to his arrest four days later after a resident recognized him. Sheriff Alistair Watson condemned Cunningham’s actions, emphasizing that his breaches of the court orders demonstrated his dangerous nature and the significant harm he posed to others.