Girl’s suicide sparked Facebook death threats to sex beast
Distraught cousin vowed to target convicted paedophile
A distraught man made Facebook death threats against a Paisley sex beast following the suicide of his cousin, a court was told.
Archie McKay, 37, vowed tp target convicted paedophile Barry Duffin, 19, following the suicide tragedy of his second cousin Britney.
Mr McKay’s cousin was only 16 when she downed prescription pills amid suggestions she was being groomed by predator Duffin.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard sex fiend Duffin knew that her life was in danger but failed to get help for the anguished youngster who died in her Hillington bedroom in the early hours of July 7, 2016.
McKay made threats on social media which were then shown to Lila Duffin, who is the grandmother of Barry Duffin.
Fiscal depute Emma Jeffrey said: “A witness who was a friend of Lila Duffin saw a post on Facebook under the name Archie McKay.
“The following text read: ‘This paedo b****** is the reason why my wee cousin is dead. I am putting this out there for all to see. Because all he got for grooming young girls and letting my wee cousin die was four f****** years. I cannot wait for day until you are out, you b******. Because you are going to be the next one to die. Please share, share and share this this. Please get it everywhere as his life isn’t worth living. If any of this paedo’s friends and family see this post, f*** every last one of you.’”
The fiscal added a witness shared this information with Ms Duffin, who lives in the Paisley area, who contacted police about the threats.
Cops tracked down the accused Mr McKay, formerly of Elm Lee, Johnstone, but now staying in Glasgow, who immediately owned up to making the posts.
Miss Jeffrey added: “He said he knew about the posts and had taken it off Facebook. When he attended Greenock Police Station he said ‘I regret it.’”
The court heard Duffin, formerly of Arygle Street in the town, had been exchanging text messages with the teenager when she took her own life.
The fiscal said: “Barry Duffin was friends with another witness’s daughter who took her own life.
“At the time she did this he was engaged in a text message conversation with her.
“The witness saw the conversation on her daughter’s mobile phone and came to the conclusion that Barry Duffin had did nothing to prevent what happened.
“The witness had made several posts on Facebook regarding the death of her daughter.
“The witness is the partner of the accused.”
Yesterday McKay pleaded guilty to charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear and alarm in that he posted messages which were grossly offensive – comments relating to Barry Duffin – and thereby Lila Duffin – which caused her to fear for her safety and that of her grandson.
Defence agent Mr Keegan said: “This is a particularly tragic case. The girl appears to have been groomed by the complainer Barry Duffin who is serving four and a half years in HMYOI Polmont for sex offences against young girls aged 13, 14 and 15.
“She had been texting the complainer and as I understand it, she had explained to the complainer she was going to end her life.
“She then texted to say she had taken all her prescribed medication.
“This was on a Facebook call. She was in distress and said to the complainer she couldn’t breath and that her insides were all burning.
“Mr McKay was upset as this would have given her a twohour window within which the medical authorities might have been alerted.
“But the complainer Barry Duffin did nothing.”
The lawyer said the accused was “very close to his wee cousin,” and he added: “The offence suggests the little girl’s mum and her family believe the complainer was entirely responsible for her death by suicide.”
Sheriff Susan Sinclair told the accused: “There are very tragic circumstances behind the offence you have committed.
“The Facebook post wasn’t there very long but it caused significant upset to those who you feel were responsible.
“There are consequences for that.”
She handed the chef 120 hours unpaid work to be completed within nine months.