KILMARNOCK MAN JAMES MACFADZEAN CAUGHT IN SEXUAL MESSAGE SCAM INVOLVING UNDERAGE GIRLS

In January 2020, a disturbing case emerged from Kilmarnock involving James McFadzean, a 54-year-old resident of MacKellar Place at New Farm Loch, who appeared before Kilmarnock Sheriff Court to face serious allegations related to online sexual misconduct.

McFadzean was accused of engaging in a series of conversations on the social media platform Skout, where he believed he was communicating with underage girls aged between 12 and 15. However, the individuals he was chatting with were not minors at all; instead, they were adult members of various paedophile-hunter groups operating undercover to catch predators. These groups had set up fake profiles to monitor and gather evidence against individuals like McFadzean.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that McFadzean had initiated contact with four different profiles, each purportedly representing underage girls. The first involved a profile controlled by a woman using the pseudonym ‘Jade,’ claiming to be 15 years old. The conversations with Jade, which started on March 15 and continued until March 31, were of a sexual nature. McFadzean asked her whether she was a “good girl or a naughty girl” and expressed a desire to engage in sexual discussions. He also requested photographs, asking if she was “naughty,” and made comments about sexual acts.

Another profile, under the fake name ‘Tasha,’ also claimed to be 15 years old. McFadzean began communicating with Tasha on February 1, and their chat included requests for photographs and questions about her being “sexy” and “naughty.” He even inquired if she had ever performed a sex act and proceeded to send messages instructing her on how to do so.

The third case involved a profile operated by an adult woman under the pseudonym ‘Esme,’ claiming to be 12 years old. McFadzean initiated contact on February 5, and during their conversations, he asked for a photograph and made comments about talking about sex. Esme explicitly told him she was only 12, but McFadzean continued the conversation until April 10, making inappropriate remarks and discussing sexual acts.

The final case involved a profile named ‘Kelsea,’ aged 13, which McFadzean contacted on March 21. He asked if she was a “good girl or a naughty girl,” and the chat persisted until April 28. During this time, he expressed being “horny,” requested photographs, and described a sex act to her. The organization running these profiles had set up a sting operation, and on April 28, two members of Child Protection Scotland visited McFadzean’s home. A video was recorded during the visit, during which McFadzean refused to speak while being recorded.

Following the investigation, police arrested McFadzean at his residence. His defense lawyer, James Irvine, stated that McFadzean would later speak with social workers to discuss his attitude towards the charges and the impact of his actions on his family. The court was informed that due to the nature of the charges, McFadzean would be subject to the sex offenders’ registration scheme. Sentencing was deferred until February to allow for social work reports to be prepared, and the court emphasized the seriousness of the case.