ADAM McCAIRNS: PAEDOPHILE FROM PAISLEY CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE VIDEOS NEAR ST CHARLES’ PRIMARY SCHOOL
| Red Rose Database
N/A Rapist
In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Adam McCairns, a 25-year-old man from Paisley, was found guilty of possessing a significant collection of child sexual abuse videos. The conviction follows a series of offenses that highlight his disturbing online activities, which included the rapid accumulation of illicit material involving minors.
In June 2018, McCairns was apprehended after authorities uncovered his possession of 130 video clips depicting children being subjected to abuse and torture. These videos were stored in a folder intriguingly labeled after the popular tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons, suggesting an attempt to conceal the nature of the content. The discovery was made during a police raid on his flat located on Barterholm Road, just a short distance from St Charles’ Primary School, a detail that adds a layer of concern regarding the proximity of his activities to a school environment.
Forensic experts, including Amanda McDonell, examined the seized hard drive and revealed that the videos were hidden within nested folders, possibly to obscure their illicit content. The files were found in a folder named “D and D stuff,” and contained a total of 130 clips, all of which depicted the most depraved forms of abuse, including rape and torture of very young children. More than half of these videos fell into the most severe category, indicating the extreme level of depravity involved.
Investigations uncovered that McCairns had been actively searching for such material using specific terms like ‘paedo,’ ‘Lolita,’ and ‘underage prostitute,’ demonstrating a clear intent to find and collect content involving minors as young as four years old. He employed peer-to-peer sharing software to connect with computers worldwide, facilitating the rapid download of these disturbing videos in January of the year in question. Evidence also showed that he had installed file-deleting software on his device, likely to cover his tracks and avoid detection.
His online activity was not his first offense. Two years prior, McCairns had been caught with over 8,000 indecent images and movies involving children aged between one and 15. At that time, he was placed under police and social worker monitoring, yet he continued to download more illicit material, indicating a troubling pattern of behavior. Following his 2016 arrest, he was given a Community Payback Order, but this did not prevent him from reoffending.
During the recent trial at Paisley Sheriff Court, McCairns denied downloading or possessing the images. However, the evidence was overwhelming. A jury took only seven minutes to reach a unanimous guilty verdict. Prosecutor David McDonald urged the court to impose strict restrictions, including banning McCairns from working with children and deleting his online history to prevent further offenses.
Sheriff Tom McCartney, presiding over the case, ordered McCairns to be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and remanded him into custody while a comprehensive background check and risk assessment were conducted. The sheriff stated, “I will adjourn sentencing for the preparation of a Criminal Justice Social Work Report and a risk assessment. You shall be detained in custody meantime.”
Looking ahead, McCairns faces a potentially lengthy prison sentence when he returns to court next month. His case underscores ongoing concerns about online child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to combat such heinous crimes.
In June 2018, McCairns was apprehended after authorities uncovered his possession of 130 video clips depicting children being subjected to abuse and torture. These videos were stored in a folder intriguingly labeled after the popular tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons, suggesting an attempt to conceal the nature of the content. The discovery was made during a police raid on his flat located on Barterholm Road, just a short distance from St Charles’ Primary School, a detail that adds a layer of concern regarding the proximity of his activities to a school environment.
Forensic experts, including Amanda McDonell, examined the seized hard drive and revealed that the videos were hidden within nested folders, possibly to obscure their illicit content. The files were found in a folder named “D and D stuff,” and contained a total of 130 clips, all of which depicted the most depraved forms of abuse, including rape and torture of very young children. More than half of these videos fell into the most severe category, indicating the extreme level of depravity involved.
Investigations uncovered that McCairns had been actively searching for such material using specific terms like ‘paedo,’ ‘Lolita,’ and ‘underage prostitute,’ demonstrating a clear intent to find and collect content involving minors as young as four years old. He employed peer-to-peer sharing software to connect with computers worldwide, facilitating the rapid download of these disturbing videos in January of the year in question. Evidence also showed that he had installed file-deleting software on his device, likely to cover his tracks and avoid detection.
His online activity was not his first offense. Two years prior, McCairns had been caught with over 8,000 indecent images and movies involving children aged between one and 15. At that time, he was placed under police and social worker monitoring, yet he continued to download more illicit material, indicating a troubling pattern of behavior. Following his 2016 arrest, he was given a Community Payback Order, but this did not prevent him from reoffending.
During the recent trial at Paisley Sheriff Court, McCairns denied downloading or possessing the images. However, the evidence was overwhelming. A jury took only seven minutes to reach a unanimous guilty verdict. Prosecutor David McDonald urged the court to impose strict restrictions, including banning McCairns from working with children and deleting his online history to prevent further offenses.
Sheriff Tom McCartney, presiding over the case, ordered McCairns to be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and remanded him into custody while a comprehensive background check and risk assessment were conducted. The sheriff stated, “I will adjourn sentencing for the preparation of a Criminal Justice Social Work Report and a risk assessment. You shall be detained in custody meantime.”
Looking ahead, McCairns faces a potentially lengthy prison sentence when he returns to court next month. His case underscores ongoing concerns about online child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to combat such heinous crimes.