ANTHONY MCKNIGHT SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE IN HADDINGTON AND EDINBURGH

Anthony McKnight, a 38-year-old hotel manager from Haddington, has been handed a lengthy prison sentence after being found guilty of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of a young child. The court proceedings revealed that McKnight had recorded himself engaging in sexual acts with a sleeping child, footage that he subsequently shared with online predators he was in contact with. The disturbing nature of these recordings and the extent of his illegal activities prompted a severe judicial response.

Authorities acted on intelligence indicating that McKnight had downloaded a significant collection of child abuse images and videos. This intelligence led to a police raid on his residence in Haddington, East Lothian, earlier this year. During the search, officers confiscated a phone and two laptops, which contained approximately 5,000 images and videos depicting children, including newborn infants, being subjected to sexual abuse by adults. The material also included horrifying images of children being forced to engage in sexual acts with animals, highlighting the depravity of his collection.

Further investigation uncovered the disturbing fact that some of the initial recordings, referred to as “first generation” videos, were made by McKnight himself using his mobile phone. These recordings were reportedly taken after he met the young boy during a holiday in Wales in December of the previous year. The evidence presented in Edinburgh Sheriff Court detailed that McKnight had been involved in the possession, creation, and distribution of indecent images of children over a period stretching from July 7, 2020, to June 7 of this year.

During the court hearing, Sheriff Alistair Noble described McKnight’s actions as “exceptionally grave” offences. He emphasized that given the severity of the crimes, only a custodial sentence was appropriate. Consequently, McKnight was sentenced to six years in prison, with an additional two-year licence period following his release. The court also ordered that he be placed on the sex offenders register for an indefinite duration, reflecting the ongoing risk he poses to the community.

McKnight’s legal representative, lawyer Paul Dunne, provided context for his client’s actions, stating that he had been involved in a “coercive relationship” which had negatively impacted his self-esteem and contributed to his feelings of isolation during the period of offending. At the time of his arrest, McKnight was employed as a manager at a fashionable boutique hotel located in the heart of Edinburgh city centre. His arrest and subsequent charges followed the police raid on his home in Haddington, which uncovered the extent of his disturbing activities.