ANDREW BRYCE BLAIR'S SHOCKING REPEAT OFFENSES IN GLASGOW: PAEDOPHILE STRIKES AGAIN DESPITE COURT ORDERS

In a disturbing case that highlights ongoing concerns about child safety and the effectiveness of legal restrictions, Andrew Bryce Blair, a known paedophile from Glasgow, has once again found himself behind bars after committing a heinous act involving a 10-year-old boy. The incident occurred in August of the previous year, when Blair lured the young boy to his flat located in the Cathcart area of Glasgow. According to court reports, Blair demanded that the child remove his clothing and proceeded to take explicit photographs of him, an act that has left the young victim traumatized.

Fortunately, the boy managed to escape from Blair’s flat by climbing down from a balcony, an act that likely prevented further harm. He then confided in his mother, revealing the details of the assault. The mother described her son's distress, stating, "He was hysterical when he first came in. I tried to calm him down to get him to tell me what happened. After about an hour, he did and managed to tell me." The emotional toll on the child has been significant; he has not left the house for months and remains noticeably withdrawn, according to his mother.

Blair, aged 56 at the time of the offense, had been under a strict court order issued just months prior, which explicitly prohibited him from approaching or having any contact with children. Despite this, he was able to commit the offense, raising serious questions about the enforcement and monitoring of such orders. Child protection officials had previously identified Blair as a “very high risk” in a dossier compiled in 2009, shortly before his release from prison. The report also contained disturbing references to Blair’s admiration for Thomas Hamilton, the Dunblane murderer, and included evidence suggesting he posed a potential threat to young victims.

During the trial at the High Court in Glasgow, Blair was convicted of engaging in lewd and libidinous practices towards the 10-year-old boy, as well as attempting to thwart justice. He admitted to breaching the sexual offences prevention order that had been imposed on him in April of the same year. The jury was also informed of Blair’s extensive criminal history, which dates back to when he was just 16 years old. His record includes three previous high court convictions for sex offenses against children, including a six-year prison sentence handed down in 1994. Additionally, Blair served a ten-month sentence in November 2009 for public indecency.

The court proceedings revealed that the incident began when the boy was playing with friends in Glasgow’s Cathcart area. Blair invited him to his flat, claiming to have found some of the child's belongings, including photographs. Blair handed the boy a bag of items and walked him home, but then asked the child to return to his flat, promising to give him more items. When the boy returned, Blair demanded that he strip naked, an act that the child recounted via video link during the trial. His mother described her son's emotional state following the incident, emphasizing the lasting impact of Blair’s actions.

Judge Lord Hardie sentenced Blair to four years in prison for breaching the court order, emphasizing the seriousness of his repeated violations and the danger he posed to children. The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and controlling individuals with a history of sexual offenses against minors, especially when legal restrictions are not effectively enforced.

In a related case from October 2002, Blair was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison after violating a court order that banned him for life from having any contact with children. This order was issued under a rarely used legal provision following his multiple convictions for lewd and libidinous acts against minors. Blair, who resides on London Road in Glasgow, had previously been jailed four times for similar offenses, with his criminal record stretching back to 1972. His convictions include a six-year sentence in 1994 and multiple other sentences for sexual misconduct.

Despite the court’s strict orders, Blair continued to involve himself with children. Last June, Strathclyde’s chief constable sought a ban under the Crime and Disorder Act of 1998, which was granted at Glasgow Sheriff Court. This order prohibited Blair from associating with children indefinitely. He was also registered as a sex offender and was subject to regular visits from the police’s Offender Assessment Unit. On June 24, police discovered Blair had befriended a woman and her children, despite the restrictions. When questioned, Blair admitted to spending time with the children, acknowledging that he knew such contact was in violation of his court orders.

His defense attorney, Paul McBride QC, argued that Blair’s visits to the family’s home were innocent and that there was no evidence of sexual grooming or impropriety. McBride emphasized that neither the children nor their mother had expressed concerns about Blair’s behavior, and Blair himself admitted to the police that he had been visiting the family regularly. Nonetheless, the court’s decision to impose an indefinite ban reflects the serious concern over Blair’s ongoing risk to children, given his extensive criminal history and previous violations of court orders.