Neil Strachan

Neil Strachan, 41 and from Edinburgh, received a life sentence with a minimum of 16 years at the High Court in Edinburgh for masterminding a child abuse conspiracy as part of Scotland's largest paedophile ring. A previously convicted sex offender and HIV-positive, Strachan was central to a network of eight men who collected 125,000 images and videos of child exploitation, dismantled by Lothian and Borders Police's Operation Algebra in 2007.

Convicted of nine offences, Strachan attempted to sodomise an 18-month-old boy on New Year's Eve, capturing the assault in a notorious photograph dubbed the 'Hogmanay image.' He also sexually assaulted a six-year-old boy. Judge Lord Bannatyne condemned the acts as 'utterly appalling,' stating they would 'shock to the core any right-minded person.' He highlighted the gross breach of trust, as Strachan was invited into friends' homes as a trusted figure, only to abuse their children for his 'base sexual interests,' describing it as a 'dreadful crime' and affirming Strachan's role as a 'principal mover in the conspiracy.'

The operation's success relied on innovative policing, including digital forensics to trace cameras and recover emails, revealing the network's extent. Six other members had already been sentenced to terms from two to 17 years, with three more convicted of conspiracy. Strachan, alongside his co-ringleader, was subjected to a lifelong restriction order under 2006 legislation for serious sexual offenders, mandating lifelong supervision and prohibiting child-related work.

The case underscored the horrors of online-facilitated child abuse, with the judge's remarks emphasising the profound violation of familial bonds. Public outrage was palpable, as the network's activities involved direct assaults on infants and young children known to the perpetrators.