A PAEDOPHILE lurks in bushes at a notorious dogging hotspot — less than a mile from where he sexually assaulted a boy of nine.
We can reveal twisted Michael Macleod, 29, spends his afternoons loitering in woodland at Silverknowes Beach in Edinburgh.
Paedophile Michael Macleod has been lurking Silverknowes Beach, Edinburgh[/caption]
Our reporter approached him about his lurking[/caption]
Macleod has been free to roam near where he attacked a schoolboy[/caption]
He dodged jail just four months ago over the sickening attack on the schoolboy in October 2023, just a few minutes’ walk from where he has been spotted in recent weeks.
Macleod was snared by cops last year after they issued a photo of him as part of a public appeal to find him.
He pled guilty in court to molesting the child at a play park in the Davidsons Mains area of the capital.
Earlier this month he was seen hiding in woods and loitering around a beach which is popular with families.
One mum, who did not want to be named, told how she was “terrified” when he passed her and her kids in fields close to where he abused the lad.
She said: “I was out with my dog and two kids over the field where the guys meet for sex and he walked past.
“I recognised him but couldn’t place how.
“Then a few days later my friend and I spotted him standing in bushes watching people.
“Later that night my pal messaged me with the link to a news article with his picture.
“I then knew straight away he was the guy who attacked the boy at the play park.
“It is disgusting that he is free to roam with what appears to be very little supervision.
“This area is full of families and kids, especially in summer.
“When he was sentenced he should have been ordered never to come back here — the area is not safe with beasts like him walking around.”
Macleod was handed just 18 months’ community payback as well as supervision and added to the sex offenders register for the same period.
Sharon Dowey, Scottish Tory shadow minister for victims and community safety said last night: “It is shameful that this community is having to live in fear of this predator.
“The buck stops with SNP ministers whose relentless weakening of the justice system let off this offender with a slap on the wrist.”
We approached Macleod after he spent two hours roaming around near the beach and the woods, who stated he was simply out for a “walk.”
He added: “People are thinking that I am a really bad person and everyone has the wrong impression.
He was snared in 2023 thanks to CCTV released through a police appeal[/caption]
He has been able to lurk near a notorious dogging site[/caption]
“I am just here for a walk. I have been doing it for years.”
Asked if he sexually assaulted the child, the beast casually replied: “Yeah, yeah.”
Police Scotland said: “Registered sex offenders (RSOs) are managed robustly and effectively through Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.
“We can never eliminate risk entirely, but sexual re-offending rates of RSOs remain very low.”
