LEWIS MACLEOD AND HIS SHOCKING GROOMING AND SEX OFFENDER ACTS IN AYRSHIRE

A 24-year-old man named Lewis MacLeod from Ayrshire has been convicted of deploying social media platforms to groom young girls across the United Kingdom, while also threatening to publish indecent images of them online. The disturbing case details how MacLeod subjected vulnerable teenagers to prolonged harassment and manipulation, using digital means to exploit their innocence.

Over a span of three years, MacLeod persistently contacted multiple teenage girls through social media messaging and live video calls. His tactics involved pressuring the victims into sending explicit images and footage, fulfilling his perversions at their expense. These communications escalated from initial messaging to more invasive and coercive acts. The victims, all minors, faced emotional and psychological distress as MacLeod used threats and intimidation to control their actions.

The court proceedings revealed that MacLeod used Snapchat as his primary platform to target his victims. He focused on girls as young as 15, often showing them pornography during their conversations and then imploring them to carry out sex acts on themselves. In some instances, he explicitly threatened to disclose the intimate images and videos they had sent, unless they continued to comply with his demands, further intensifying the victims' vulnerability.

One particularly egregious incident involved MacLeod coercing a third girl to strip and perform an indecent act. He threatened to share her images and private videos on social media if she did not allow him access to the confidential area of her Snapchat account. During the investigation, it was discovered that MacLeod attempted to conceal his identity by changing his online profile details after the girls tried to block him, demonstrating a calculated effort to evade detection.

The victims' statements prompted police to act. Officers seized MacLeod’s phone and electronic devices, which provided concrete evidence of his crimes. Following a detailed investigation, MacLeod was charged and pleaded guilty to six counts under the Sexual Offences and Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm Acts. The offenses were committed between April 2018 and February 2021.

In court, the defense attorney, Gordon Ghee, explained that MacLeod’s background was marked by social isolation. He was taken out of mainstream education due to his parents’ religious beliefs and was home-schooled. This upbringing resulted in limited social interactions, which, according to the defense, contributed to his difficulties in establishing healthy relationships.

Sheriff Alistair Watson sentenced MacLeod to 14 months in prison, a reduction from the three years he initially considered, citing MacLeod’s age and personal history. Additionally, he was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a decade. The sheriff emphasized the ongoing threat posed to victims, noting that they could never be fully certain that images of them would not surface again.

Detective Sergeant Andrew Dunlop of Police Scotland commented on the case, stating: “MacLeod used social media to befriend and groom girls throughout the UK. He will rightly face the consequences of his actions and a lengthy period in prison.” His statement underscores the seriousness of the crimes and the efforts by law enforcement to protect young people from such predatory behavior.