EDINBURGH PAEDOPHILE GORDON KNOTT AND BRIAN MACLENNAN SENT TO HIGH-SECURITY PRISON
In a series of harrowing legal proceedings, the notorious paedophile Gordon Knott, formerly of Edinburgh, has faced renewed justice as new victims have come forward to testify against him.Knott, who was once among the first male house parents employed to care for vulnerable children in Edinburgh's care homes, has a long and disturbing history of sexual abuse spanning several decades.
Back in 1997, Knott was convicted of a string of sexual offences committed over a period of twenty years.
His crimes included abusing children at various locations, notably Clerwood, Arthur's Seat, and a residence in the Liberton area, with the abuse occurring between 1973 and 1981.
The severity of his actions led to a 16-year prison sentence, from which he was released in 2008.
Now, at the age of 64, he faces sentencing once again after a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh found him guilty of three charges of indecency involving two victims.
The court heard disturbing details of the abuse, including that one victim, who was just five years old at the time, was subjected to assault by Knott during a trip to Arthur's Seat.
The victim recounted that Knott had taken him on his motorbike, parked, and then sat on the grass, pulling the boy close before abusing him.
The young man, now 49, described his feelings during the incident, saying, “If I had a gun I would have shot him.
I would have done anything to get away from him.” He also revealed that Knott had molested him at Clerwood, touching him inappropriately while showing him a wrestling hold.
Despite Knott's outward appearance of kindness, the victim explained, “He just seemed like a really nice person at the time if you didn’t know him deep down.” The second victim, also aged 49 and now residing in Ireland, shared that he was abused from around the age of five and left care as a teenager.
He explained that he ran away from the Clerwood home, not fully understanding at the time that he was trying to escape the ongoing abuse.
When asked why he fled, he responded, “At the time I didn’t know.
I know now I was trying to get away from the abuse.” He also disclosed that Knott had targeted him during regular weekend wrestling sessions, further highlighting the extent of the abuse.
The trial was temporarily halted and later resumed with a new jury after one of the victims expressed a desire for Knott to be convicted again, saying, “I hope you get convicted again.” Knott, who hails from Carstairs in South Lanarkshire, denied the latest allegations.
He was denied bail and remains in custody pending sentencing.
Historically, Knott's criminal record includes a 1997 conviction for ten sexual offences against eight boys and a girl at Clerwood and Glenallan children’s homes during the 1970s and 1980s.
His actions have been described as some of the most heinous in Scottish legal history concerning child abuse.
In a separate but related development, Knott's attempt to have his 16-year sentence reduced was rejected in September 2002.
Lord Cullen, presiding over the Court of Appeal in Edinburgh, stated, “While the sentence imposed was severe it was not, in the circumstances, an excessive one.” This sentence remains the longest ever handed down in Scotland for a paedophile.
Further complicating the case, in January 1998, Knott, along with fellow offender Brian Maclennan, was transferred from Edinburgh’s Saughton prison to the high-security facility at Peterhead.
Both men, who had been jailed for a combined total of 27 years for their respective sex offences, are considered among Scotland’s most dangerous criminals.
The move to Peterhead, a prison designated for long-term detention of sex offenders, was part of the ongoing efforts to contain their threat to society.
Victims of these crimes are now planning to seek compensation for the years of suffering inflicted upon them.
The trial, which lasted four weeks at the High Court in Edinburgh, was described as one of the most disturbing in Scottish legal history, with Knott found guilty of ten serious sex offences and possession of child abuse images.
Maclennan, aged 51, was convicted of two charges of sexual activity with underage girls and three counts of indecency, further underscoring the widespread nature of these crimes committed within Edinburgh’s care system.
