IAN MCMILLAN COWAN SENTENCED IN STRANRAER FOR CHILD SEXUAL OFFENCES AND INDECENT IMAGES

A man identified as Ian McMillan Cowan has been sentenced to a term of three and a half years in prison following his admission to multiple serious sexual offences committed against children in the town of Stranraer. The sentencing took place at Stranraer Sheriff Court, where Sheriff Anthony McGlennan handed down the punishment after Cowan pleaded guilty to six charges outlined in the indictment.

These charges included severe sexual misconduct involving two young victims, as well as offences related to the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. In addition to his prison sentence, Cowan has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, a measure that requires him to notify authorities of any change in his personal details for the rest of his life. Furthermore, the court imposed a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order aimed at restricting Cowan’s future conduct and safeguarding the community.

To ensure ongoing protection, non-harassment orders have been issued, explicitly forbidding Cowan from having any contact with his victims, identified as Child A and Child B, for a period of 15 years. These legal restrictions are designed to prevent any form of communication or interaction that could cause further harm.

During the sentencing hearing, Sheriff McGlennan provided a detailed account of the offences. He confirmed that Cowan admitted to charges one, three, four, six, seven, and nine. The only charge he did not admit to was charge nine, which involved a breach of bail conditions. The other charges involved serious sexual acts directed at children, with the offences spanning several years.

Charge one involved violations of multiple sections—20, 21, 23, and 26(1) and (2)—of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009. The victim, referred to as Child A, was a female under the age of 11 during the entire period of abuse, which lasted approximately four and a half years. Charge three related to offences against a second victim, Child B, a 13-year-old girl, over a six-month period, involving contraventions of sections 31, 33, and 34(1) of the same Act.

Charge four concerned Cowan’s violation of section 1 of the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005, again involving Child B. Charges six and seven dealt with the possession and distribution of indecent images of children, under sections 52(1)(a) and 52(1)(b) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. The final charge, charge nine, was related to Cowan’s breach of bail conditions, which is considered a non-sexual offence but significant in the context of his overall conduct.

In his remarks, Sheriff McGlennan emphasized the gravity of the crimes, taking into account both the harm inflicted on the victims and Cowan’s level of culpability. He noted that several aggravating factors were present, underscoring the need for a strong sentence to protect the public, serve as a deterrent to others, and reflect society’s condemnation of such conduct.

Initially, the court considered a sentence of 56 months’ imprisonment, but this was reduced to 42 months in light of Cowan’s guilty pleas and other mitigating factors. Due to the nature of the offences, Cowan will be subject to lifelong notification requirements under Schedule 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, ensuring ongoing monitoring and public safety.

Overall, the court’s decision aims to deliver justice for the victims, prevent future offences, and uphold societal standards of safety and morality in Stranraer.