EX-SCOUT LEADER IAN MCLURE JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE
A former scout leader and recipient of an MBE for his services to pupil welfare, Ian McLure, aged 71, was sentenced to four years in prison at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for abusing boys over a period of more than five years.McLure, who had been missing from the court since failing to appear in 2002 and was found in Blackpool last year, pleaded guilty to abusing three boys while leading the 1st Fife (St Marie's) Scout Group in Kirkcaldy.
One victim, a man in his 50s, recounted how McLure abused him and his friends when they were very young, describing him as a 'sick, evil man' and expressing concerns about other potential victims.
The court heard that McLure's crimes, which involved planning and breach of trust, had a lasting psychological impact on his victims.
Sheriff Peter Braid highlighted the breach of trust and the fact that McLure's victims had to live with his actions daily.
McLure was arrested after returning to work in Kirkcaldy following a decade in South Africa.
One of his victims, who was 12 at the time, described feeling like he did something wrong during the abuse and expressed regret for not having the courage to report the crimes earlier, fearing more victims might still be out there.
The perpetrator admitted to abusing boys during his time as a scout leader and had been awarded an MBE in 2000.
The court's sentence reflects the gravity of his actions and the breach of trust involved.
