EDDIE MONTGOMERY FROM ARDROSSAN FACES JAIL AFTER ATTEMPTING TO LURE YOUNG BOYS IN SCOTLAND

In a series of disturbing incidents that have sent shockwaves through the communities of Ardrossan and Dreghorn, 63-year-old Eddie Montgomery has been involved in multiple attempts to lure young children into his vehicle, raising serious concerns about child safety and public security in the area.

Back in September 2014, Montgomery narrowly escaped imprisonment after being convicted of serious charges related to his predatory behavior. The court heard that he had tried to entice an 11-year-old boy into his van, which was equipped with a bed in the back, by offering sweets as bait. The incident took place in Dreghorn, where Montgomery reportedly pulled up beside the young boy and asked, “Do you want to come into my van to get some sweets?”

The young boy, overwhelmed and frightened, ran away crying, prompting immediate police action. An emergency alert was issued, describing Montgomery and his vehicle to the public and law enforcement agencies. Police officer PC Lee Wilson, who had just completed a routine check on Montgomery’s van, was called back to the scene after the alert was broadcast. Upon stopping the vehicle again, PC Wilson observed the interior of the van, which contained a single mattress and bedding, with red-colored panels lining the inside. Montgomery was promptly taken into custody.

Further investigations revealed that Montgomery had been involved in similar troubling behavior. A woman, whose grandson was just 11 years old, reported that her grandson was left in a distressed state after a white van, driven by Montgomery, braked heavily beside him. The woman recounted that her grandson was crying and visibly upset, saying that the man had tried to coax him into the van. She identified Montgomery as the driver, sitting in the dock at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, where he faced charges.

Additional testimony came from a nine-year-old boy who described his terror after witnessing a white van approach him and his friends at the shore in Ardrossan. The boy explained that the van reversed and stopped, with the driver repeatedly looking at them. He also mentioned that he had read about a girl being kidnapped by someone in a white van just weeks prior, which heightened his fear. The boy and his brother, along with a 12-year-old friend, ran for safety, climbing over a wall and fleeing through the grass. They then alerted their mothers, who contacted the police.

Another young witness, a 14-year-old girl returning from school in Saltcoats, reported feeling watched by Montgomery, whose eyes she said “followed us all the time.” Fearing for her safety, she and her friends sought refuge inside a shop. These accounts, combined with the evidence, painted a disturbing picture of Montgomery’s pattern of behavior over a period from February 2012 to May 2013.

Montgomery admitted to being present at the locations but denied any inappropriate staring or intent towards the children, claiming he was merely looking for a friend. Despite his denial, the court found him guilty of three charges of breach of the peace related to his conduct in Ardrossan and Dreghorn. Sheriff Brian Murphy emphasized the “significant sexual element” involved in Montgomery’s actions and ordered that he be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years. The sentencing was scheduled for the following month, leaving the community awaiting further legal consequences for Montgomery’s troubling actions.