DEREK MCNEILL FOUND GUILTY IN EDINBURGH OF NEGLECTING TEENAGER WHO DIED
In June 2021, a tragic case unfolded involving Derek McNeill, a convicted sex offender, who was found guilty of neglecting 13-year-old Blake Ross, a teenager with type 1 diabetes, leading to his death.The incident occurred after Blake, who was under the care of a council-run close support unit, left the facility on Saturday, 11 February 2017, without his medication.
A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh heard that Blake was approached late at night by McNeill, a complete stranger, in the Wester Hailes area.
This encounter resulted in Blake staying for two nights at McNeill's dirty flat, where he admitted to carrying out a sexual act in front of the teenager.
Over the weekend, Blake's health worsened, and on Monday, 13 February, McNeill put him onto a bus, paid his fare, and abandoned him.
Blake traveled on two buses before being seen slumped at a bus stop.
A bus driver raised the alarm, but despite efforts to save him, Blake died in Edinburgh's Sick Kids Hospital.
Prosecutor Jane Farquharson QC highlighted McNeill's criminal history, including attempted rape and indecent assault on an 11-year-old boy, as well as a conviction for indecent exposure in 1987 when he was caught masturbating in front of a children's play park in Edinburgh.
Evidence showed that McNeill committed a sexual act in Blake's presence at the flat.
He was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
McNeill's sentencing has yet to be decided, but he faces a potential lifelong restriction order, which would keep him in custody until deemed safe by the parole board and require lifelong supervision.
Following Blake's death, investigations into the actions of police and council workers were conducted.
Authorities had initially responded to Blake's disappearance by appealing through the media and escalating his case from medium to high risk, recognizing the vulnerability involved.
Although McNeill was not directly accused of causing Blake's death, he was convicted under the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act for wilfully neglecting and abandoning Blake in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to health.
The jury acquitted him of causing the teenager's death, and his prior convictions were only revealed after the verdict under Scots law.
