Child sex abuse probe in Highlands village centres on ‘multiple victims and suspects’, police say
A MAJOR child abuse probe is under way in a Highland village.
Northern Constabulary have described the investigation centring on Muir of Ord as “large-scale” and said that there may be “multiple victims and suspects”.
And Chief Constable Ian Latimer said the inquiry into allegations at the village – which has a population of just 1812 – is “destined to be one of the largest” of its type faced by the force in recent years.
(according to wiki it now, 2016, has a population of 3,026)
The probe is expected to last for weeks and police officers from several divisions have been brought in to spearhead the investigation.
News of the probe came in a Northern Joint Police Board agenda for a meeting due on May 11.
In a section headed “child protection” the report states: “A large scale child abuse inquiry is currently being carried out in the Muir of Ord area involving multiple victims and multiple suspects.
“This is likely to continue for some weeks yet and is destined to be one of the largest inquiries of its type in recent years.
“The inquiry team is currently made up of Central Divisional staff taken from Lochaber, Skye & Lochalsh, Ross & Cromarty and the Western Isles.”
Last night, a local Church of Scotland minister reacted with shock to the major police probe.
The Rev Iain Ramsden, whose church is about two miles from the village but has many Muir of Ord residents in its congregation, said: “This is an absolute shock to me.
“Muir of Ord is a typically friendly and welcoming Highland community. It is a lovely village.
“The people will be shocked and stunned that such an investigat ion will be taking place.
“But it is important for all to let the police get on with their investigation and to co-operate with the police at every level.
“Knowing the villagers the way I do, that is exactly what all of them will do in any case.
“But it is important this does not turn into a witchhunt.
“About half of my congregation is from the village and they and the rest of the congregation will be deeply shocked. All we can do is help the police in any form we can.”
Local SNP councillor Peter Cairns said: “It is very shocking news. No one had an idea about this. But what I would say is that allegations of this nature can happen anywhere, in any community.
“All we know so far is that the investigation is centred here.
Inverness is only a few miles away and we can have no way of knowing what is involved in this.
“The police will conduct a thorough investigation and that is exactly what is required.
“People will be widely concerned by this.
“But it would be wrong at this stage to indulge in any form of speculation.
“Yes, it is a concern that there may be multiple victims or suspects but the police investigation is what is important here and nothing should pre-empt that.”
A spokesman for the force, who probed the massive Orkney child abuse allegations of the 1990s, said he could not comment further at this stage.
In 1991, nine children were removed from their homes amid allegations of satanic abuse on the islands.
But in the end the case was thrown out of court and no one was ever convicted.
A subsequent inquiry chaired by Lord Clyde was critical of the methods employed by social workers interviewing chi ldren and 194 recommendations were made.
In 2003 eight people were charged after dawn raids in the Western Isles and England following allegations made by three girls. All the charges were later dropped.
But in that case, a report later said that the children were victims and was critical of the initial investigation. Source DailyRecord
POLICE in the Highlands are carrying out one of the area’s largest probes into alleged child abuse.
Northern Constabulary is involved in an investigation in the Muir of Ord area said to involve “multiple suspects and victims”.
The news emerged in papers for the Northern Joint Police Board meeting next Tuesday.
In his report to the board, Chief Constable Ian Latimer said the investigation was likely to continue for 13 weeks and was “destined to be one of the largest of its type in recent years”.
Last month, two Ross-shire men appeared in Dingwall Sheriff Court charged with serious sex offences, including rape.
William Burns, 67, from Muir of Ord, and Donald Burns, 42, from Invergordon, were both remanded in custody.
William Burns was charged with two cases of rape and one of attempted rape. Donald Burns was accused of lewd and libidinous conduct towards a girl aged between 12 and 16 years and of having sexual intercourse with a girl aged between 13 and 16.
Both made no plea nor declaration during the private hearing on 1 April. Source TheScotsman
September 2010
12 years in jail for child sex perv
A SERIAL sex offender who preyed on vulnerable young girls over 20 years was this week jailed for 12 years.
Pensioner William Burns (67) – described as a “callous and calculating” pervert – was able to continue the abuse, even after his activities were made known to police.
On one occasion they found a runaway teenager in Burns’ home in Muir of Ord, Ross-shire – but allowed her to stay because a check revealed he had no record.
A court heard how Burns plied the youngsters with cigarettes, alcohol and drugs and haunted the playpark next to his house to target his victims.
Northern Constabulary has set up an internal probe into why a report of abuse by a worried mum in 1998 was apparently neither recorded nor investigated.
Twice-married Burns, of Ord Place, Muir of Ord, halted a planned trial by admitting a total of 13 charges dating back to September 1988. The charges included indecency, breach of the peace, indecent assault and allowing other men to use his home for sex with under-age girls.
Burns’ nephew, Donald Burns (43), of Bellfield, Invergordon, was jailed for 16 months in July after admitting two sexual offences, including having unlawful intercourse with an under-age girl, at his uncle’s home in Muir of Ord.
William Burns’ nine victims were mostly in their early teens, although one girl was only 11 when she first met him.
Sentencing him at the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Turnbull told Burns: “As an adult male you conducted a campaign of sexual exploitation of young girls for a period of 20 years, when you were aged between mid 40s and 60.”
The judge continued: “Your conduct was callous and calculating and you went to considerable lengths to ingratiate yourself into the company of young girls.
“To further your ends you supplied them with cigarettes, alcohol and cannabis and it is difficult to think of any worse conduct on the part of an adult directed towards children.”
Burns is unlikely to see the end of his sentence – he has just been diagnosed as suffering from throat cancer and has other health problems, the court heard.
Police finally put a stop to crofter Burns’ abuse in March this year.
But in 1998 one girl, who was then 18, told her mum what had happened to her six years earlier.
Advocate depute Ashley Edwards said: “Her mother contacted the police station in Dingwall, although it appears that the matter was neither recorded nor investigated at the time.”
Another mum mentioned her 14-year-old daughter’s complaints that Burns had “touched her” to an off-duty police officer in a local pub that same year.
Other victims only came forward after a full-scale inquiry had begun.
Highland sex offender dies in prison
A serial sex offender who preyed on under-age girls over a 20-year period has died in jail.
Pensioner William Burns, 73, died at Glenochil Prison in Clackmannanshire six years after he was caged at the High Court in Edinburgh.
He was handed a 12-year sentence after admitting a string of sex attacks on “vulnerable” young girls.
In 2010, Lord Turnbull told him: “As an adult male, you conducted a campaign of sexual exploitation of young girls over a period of 20 years when you were aged between mid-forties to mid-sixties.
“You predominantly targeted girls in their early teens and one of your victims was only 11 years old when your abuse of her commenced.
“Your conduct was callous and calculated and you went to considerable lengths to ingratiate yourself into the company of young girls, mostly targeting those who were vulnerable in one fashion or another.”
The court heard Burns would hang around a play park near his home in of Muir of Ord in Ross-Shire and ply the girls with cigarettes, alcohol and cannabis before abusing them.
Burns’ nephew, Donald Burns, 43, of Bellfield, Invergordon, was also jailed the same year for 16 months after admitting two sexual offences, including having unlawful intercourse with an under-age girl, at his uncle’s home in Muir of Ord.
The Scottish Prison Service said Police Scotland had been notified of Burns’ death at Glenochil and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
Next of kin have been informed and a Fatal Accident Inquiry may take place at a future date. SOURCE
PAEDOPHILE JAILED FOR SEVEN YEARS
Factory worker jailed for seven years for child rape and abuse
Allan MacDonald jailed for child rape and abuse
A sex attacker convicted of raping a child and abusing four other girls has been jailed for seven years.
The children were all in primary school when Allan MacDonald preyed on them during a five year reign of terror.
MacDonald appeared at the High Court in Glasgow after being found guilty of rape and five charges of lewd and libidinous conduct.
The 45 year-old denied the offences claiming he had been the target of a conspiracy.
Judge Lord Jones said the victims had suffered “emotional and psychological harm” as a result of what happened.
The girls were aged between six and 10 when the offences occurred between 1985 and 1990 in Inverness-shire.
MacDonald preyed on them at his home, in a caravan, a lock-up, outdoors in a forest and in his car.
One of the women described in detail how she and her friend were abused and asked to perform sex acts on each other and on MacDonald.
She also claimed he had full intercourse with her when she was seven or eight years of age.
Another described how she had been playing in a local playpark when she was called over by MacDonald.
He took her into his car where she was sexually assaulted by him.
Asked by prosecutor advocate depute Jane Farquharson if she understood what was happening to her the woman replied: “Not really. He was telling us what we should do.”
MacDonald, now of 11 Ravencroft, Culbokie, was also placed on the sex offenders list indefinitely.
At a trial in Inverness he denied two charges of raping girls at his then home and five of lewd and libidinous behaviour between 28th September 1984 and 6th April 1990.
But was found guilty by a jury – all were by a majority with the exception of one sexual assault which was unanimous.
MacDonald was a team leader at the SGL carbon fibre factory in Muir of Ord.
More from Muir Of Ord
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Man arrested after 7hour incident at muir of ord hotel
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Seedy secret of Muir of Ord man who downloaded child pornography
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Former wife lashes out over ‘paedo witch-hunt’
according to DailyRecord in 2012 Muir of Ord had population of just 1812.
according to wiki in 2016, Muir of Ord has a population of 3,026
They almost doubled the population within 4years? Wow!