The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fife father of missing man says internet troll has targeted him again
Allan Bryant Sr claims messages were sent just days after Stewart McInroy was freed from jail on appeal
Police are probing fresh allegations that a man who repeatedly trolled the family of missing Fifer Allan Bryant Jr has targeted his victims yet again – just a matter of days after being freed from jail on appeal.
Stewart McInroy, 27, was given an eight-month prison sentence at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on June 1 after he admitted sending vile messages to Mr Bryant’s father Allan Sr and sister Amy in March via the Facebook Messenger app.
McInroy, who was previously jailed for claiming he had tortured and killed Allan Jr, who has been missing since November 2013, was released earlier this month on appeal.
He was not made subject to any special bail conditions – prompting anger from the Bryants who feared he would strike again.
Police are now investigating further chilling messages sent to Mr Bryant Sr from a social media page in McInroy’s name over the weekend.
Two messages were sent on Sunday evening, one of which taunts Police Scotland from Ireland, while the other shows McInroy’s signed release papers from HMP Perth from July 6 with the caption “PMSL” – which is colloquial internet jargon to indicate amusement.
“If it is him then he’s making a mockery of the courts,” says Mr Bryant Sr. “I was absolutely disgusted that the courts did not impose any special bail
Given what he’s done in the past, he shouldn’t be allowed near the internet at all
conditions in the first place but I’m absolutely raging at this.
“Given what he’s done in the past, he shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the internet at all.”
The Courier asked McInroy to comment but he did not respond.
A spokesperson for the Judicial Office for Scotland said: “Interim liberation may only be granted where an appellant has demonstrated exceptional circumstances justifying the grant of liberation pending a hearing of an appeal.”
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said it was aware of Mr Bryant’s complaint and inquiries were ongoing.