WILLIAM MCINTOSH: ABERDEEN AND PETERCULTER PAEDOPHILE CONVICTED OF HISTORIC ABUSE

In a significant development in the fight against historic child abuse, William McIntosh, a 75-year-old man with a long and troubling criminal history, has been convicted of sexually abusing a young boy nearly 25 years ago. The conviction was secured at the High Court in Livingston after a jury deliberated for just over an hour, finding McIntosh guilty of the serious offence, which the court described as the equivalent of rape under the law.

The court proceedings revealed that McIntosh, who was residing in the Aberdeenshire area during the time of the offences, had established a troubling relationship with the victim, a teenage boy. The incident in question occurred sometime between June and October 1993, when the teenager’s parents permitted him to stay overnight at the caravan park in Peterculter, a village near Aberdeen, to assist with delivery tasks scheduled for the following day. During this stay, McIntosh allegedly exploited the trust placed in him by the young boy.

According to the prosecution, McIntosh, who was then living in Tomintoul, Ballindalloch, lured the teenager into a state of intoxication by giving him alcohol. He then subjected the boy to viewing pornographic magazines before committing a series of indecent acts, including assault and forcing the boy to perform a sex act. The jury was presented with evidence that corroborated these allegations, painting a disturbing picture of McIntosh’s predatory behavior.

Further evidence was introduced during the trial, revealing that McIntosh had previously abused a 10-year-old boy in the same caravan at Peterculter between October 1991 and July 1992. This pattern of abuse underscores a disturbing history of offending, stretching back over a decade.

William McIntosh’s criminal record is extensive and deeply troubling. His convictions date back to 1980, when he was found guilty of holding a 12-year-old boy in a shop and indecently assaulting him. He served a 30-month sentence at Peterhead Sheriff Court. Despite this, McIntosh reoffended in 1987 and again in 1990, demonstrating a persistent pattern of offending.

In 1998, he received an eight-year prison sentence after being convicted of abusing four boys in Aberdeen and at the caravan park in Peterculter. His criminal history prompted authorities to impose strict restrictions on his contact with children. In 2007, a sheriff issued a sexual offences prevention order, which prohibited McIntosh from engaging with children outside his immediate family and barred him from visiting play areas, school grounds, or any locations where children might be present.

Following the jury’s verdict, Judge Lord Woolman ordered that criminal justice social work reports be prepared before sentencing. McIntosh is scheduled to be sentenced at Edinburgh High Court on March 26. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing concern for public safety.

In addition to the recent conviction, efforts to restrict McIntosh’s access to children have been ongoing. In January 2007, police successfully obtained a wide-ranging legal order to keep him away from children, citing the high risk of re-offending. This order was granted at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where the legal representative of Grampian Police argued that McIntosh, then in his 60s, had managed to befriend neighbors with five children shortly after his release from an eight-year jail term.

The police’s concerns were based on evidence that McIntosh had engaged in manipulative behavior, gaining the trust of families and involving himself in activities such as taking a boy to football practice and accompanying two girls to trampoline lessons. Authorities expressed fears that he had systematically abused children over nearly three decades, exploiting his relationships with families for his own predatory purposes.

McIntosh’s history of offending, combined with recent convictions and ongoing restrictions, highlights the persistent danger he poses. His case remains a stark reminder of the importance of vigilant monitoring and strict legal measures to protect vulnerable children from known offenders like him, especially given his long-standing pattern of abuse across Aberdeen, Peterculter, and surrounding areas.