BRIAN MCCULLOCH SENTENCED IN AYR FOR HISTORIC CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN CATRINE

A man named Brian McCulloch, previously residing in Catrine, has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of multiple charges related to historic child sexual abuse in Ayr. The conviction stems from a jury's verdict delivered in December, which confirmed McCulloch's involvement in 11 separate counts of abuse spanning from 2005 to 2022. The court heard that the allegations, which McCulloch had vehemently denied, had a profound impact on the victims, with one suffering from recurring nightmares and another recounting an assault that took place inside Ayr’s former Odeon cinema while they were watching a Harry Potter film.

During the trial, the court examined recorded police interviews with several young females who accused McCulloch of abusing them over the years. The cross-examination was conducted remotely during a pre-recorded hearing held in the same Ayr Sheriff Court. One of the victims, who gave her evidence in person, repeatedly challenged McCulloch’s denials, stating emphatically, “that’s incorrect,” “again that’s incorrect,” and “that’s a lie.” She recounted that McCulloch had assaulted her multiple times when she was in her early teens, emphasizing, “He sexually abused me, obviously I couldn’t consent,” and adding, “I didn’t understand.” The girl further explained that McCulloch had warned her that if she told her family, “they wouldn’t believe you, not love you anymore and think you’re dirty,” which led her to keep silent about the abuse.

Another teenage girl testified that she was indecently assaulted by McCulloch when she was still in primary school. She described how he would place his hand on her bottom and rub it, calling him “a weirdo.” She expressed her discomfort, saying, “It just didn’t feel right,” and recalled asking him, “what are you doing,” to which he responded, “it doesn’t matter.”

The court also heard from the youngest complainant, who told police, “I didn’t like him. He touched my full body and I didn’t like it.” Another victim described how McCulloch ran his hands over her body with rough, sandpaper-like hands, and expressed her wish that he “wasn’t alive.”

In his defense, McCulloch dismissed the allegations as “rubbish,” asserting, “I cannot think of one reason why the allegations have been made. The allegations have really affected my life.” Despite his denial, the jury found him guilty of all charges after a lengthy trial at Ayr Sheriff Court.

Following the verdict, defense solicitor Tony Currie acknowledged the conviction, stating, “Your lordship will remember this case well, the matter proceeded to trial and he was convicted of all charges.” McCulloch, aged 50, expressed a degree of acceptance regarding his situation, noting, “I always find the [social work] reporting process in these cases can be difficult, on the one hand I went to trial and maintain my innocence, and I am equally accepting of the verdict of the jury.” He also highlighted that he has no previous convictions and has been employed full-time throughout his adult life.

However, the report also detailed the emotional toll and frustration experienced by McCulloch during the legal process. It was noted that, as is often the case in such situations, he has faced abuse and violent threats since the case’s conclusion and media coverage of the verdict. McCulloch has been subject to sex offender notification requirements since his conviction.

During sentencing, Sheriff Desmond Leslie emphasized the seriousness of the crimes, acknowledging the lengthy trial and the jury’s careful deliberation. The sheriff stated, “This was a trial of some duration and you will appreciate the jury took a significant period of time to consider their verdict—the only distinction on the charges was whether the verdict was unanimous or by majority.” He further explained that the nature of the offenses warrants a custodial sentence, which was set at four years in total—comprising three years in prison and an additional year on extended supervision in the community. The court also imposed non-harassment orders preventing McCulloch from contacting any of the victims for five years. Additionally, he was informed that he would remain on the sex offenders register indefinitely before being taken into custody, where he was handcuffed and led away.