ALAN MACPHERSON'S HORRIFIC ABUSE IN KILTARLITY REVEALED: 18 MONTHS JAIL FOR 14 YEARS OF CRUELTY NEAR INVERNESS

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community near Inverness, Alan MacPherson, aged 47, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of subjecting his two sons to prolonged and severe abuse over a span of 14 years. The court heard harrowing details of the physical and emotional torment inflicted upon the boys, which included beatings with shinty sticks and belts, as well as violent slaps and punches.

MacPherson, an unemployed lorry driver residing on Balgate Drive in Kiltarlity, a village close to Inverness, had denied all six charges related to assault and cruelty. Despite his protests of innocence, the evidence presented during the trial, which took place earlier this month, led to his conviction. The two sons, Ross, now 21, and his brother Alan, aged 20, bravely testified against their father, recounting the brutal treatment they endured.

The court was told that MacPherson, who was raising the children alone after their mother left when they were very young, maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. Ross MacPherson described the terrifying experiences he faced, revealing that he was sometimes held under the water in baths for so long that he would stop blowing bubbles to make his father believe he was drowning, prompting him to release him.

Ross, who now works at a call centre on George Street in Inverness, recounted that the abuse began as early as he could remember, likely when he was just three years old. He told the court, “I was always scared of my father. I didn’t know when I was going to be hit next. I was hit near enough every day.” He described a particularly brutal incident where his father smashed a dinner plate over his head after he ate a sweet before supper, leaving food all over his face and body.

Furthermore, Ross detailed threats made by his father, who would warn him that he would be hit 20 times with a shinty stick and threaten additional punishment if he cried out or moved during the assaults. The court heard that MacPherson’s methods of discipline were excessively violent and sustained over many years, causing significant trauma to his children.

Despite the lengthy history of abuse, MacPherson’s legal team argued for leniency, but the court’s verdict reflected the severity of the crimes. The judge sentenced him to 18 months in prison, emphasizing the gravity of the cruelty inflicted upon the two young men. The case has left the local community in Kiltarlity and the surrounding Inverness area deeply disturbed, highlighting the importance of safeguarding children from such prolonged abuse.