BEN CUSICK CAUGHT IN DUNDEE FOR ONLINE CHILD SEX OFFENSES

A man from Dundee, identified as Ben Cusick, was apprehended by police authorities after engaging in a disturbing online exchange involving explicit images with an undercover officer. The incident took place in March 2019, when Cusick used the messaging platform Kik to communicate with a decoy profile created by law enforcement, posing as a 13-year-old girl named Maisie Nixon.

During the course of the conversation, Cusick adopted the alias “Christopher Wayne” and initially engaged in casual dialogue. However, the tone quickly shifted when he inquired whether the girl wanted to see a “**** pic,” prompting him to send a series of indecent images from his bedroom and garden. Prosecutor Lynne Mannion detailed that some of these images revealed specific details, such as a black and white wallpaper visible in the background. One particular photograph was taken outdoors, showing Cusick sitting on a brown wooden bench.

All exchanges, including the images, occurred within a single day, highlighting the premeditated nature of the communication. Following the investigation, authorities traced the online account back to Cusick, leading to a police raid at his residence. During the search, officers discovered that his bedroom wallpaper matched the background seen in some of the images, and the same type of garden bench was identified at his property.

After his arrest, Cusick chose to remain silent during police interviews, offering no comment. The case drew significant public attention, with over 15,000 individuals signing a petition calling for mandatory jail sentences for child sex offenders.

Ben Cusick, who resides on Emmock Woods Crescent, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause a person believed to be a 13-year-old child to view a sexual image. Specifically, he admitted to sending multiple indecent digital images to an undercover officer under the false belief that he was communicating with a minor.

His sentencing was deferred until March by Sheriff Alastair Carmichael, although Cusick has been placed on the sex offender’s register in the meantime, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the ongoing legal process.