Child sex offender spun ‘web of deception’ in new relationship

A convicted sex offender coached his girlfriend’s child to lie that she lived only with “mummy”.

Stuart McGrane, 33, stayed regularly with the youngster’s mother in Fife, despite a ban on unsupervised contact with children and a requirement that he notify police of any new address.

Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard he was so obsessed with the relationship he had no regard for the terms of the order.

McGrane, of Marina Road, Bathgate, was convicted in 2016 of an offence involving indecent photographs of children and was placed on the sex offenders register.

He admitted breaching the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act between November last year and May 7 at an address in Fife by failing to tell police of a change of address.

The court heard he stayed with the woman so regularly he was “in essence” living with her.

On one occasion, he stopped his girlfriend phoning an ambulance for him, fearing his background would catch up with him.

And in an effort to avoid detection, his partner would leave the house first and beep the car horn to assure him it was safe.

After the child was absent from school and the woman told a neighbour she was moving away to avoid social workers, a missing persons inquiry was launched.

McGrane eventually attended Livingston Police Station and was arrested.

Sheriff Grant McCulloch said he had woven a “web of deception” and caused the child and her mother to lie.

Sentence was deferred until October 24.