Jury warned over graphic image of infant boy being abused

Published on Monday 9 March 2009 21:13

A WARNING was issued to jurors yesterday before they were shown a graphic image of an infant boy being sexually abused by a man.

The photograph had been recovered during a transatlantic police inquiry into James Rennie, 38, the chief executive of an advice centre for gay and lesbian youngsters.

Rennie had exchanged e-mail messages with a man and discussed a sexual interest in children, the jury was told. The man sent a copy of the photograph. The adult's face could not be seen, but the man, suspected by police to be Neil Strachan, 41, had said it was him.

The High Court in Edinburgh also heard that a second boy had featured in pornography linked to Rennie and that his parents had been shown the images to confirm his identity.

Rennie, of Marionville Road, and Strachan, of Duff Street, both Edinburgh, are accused of possessing and distributing indecent images of children. Also accused are: Colin Slaven, 23, also of Duff Street, Edinburgh; Ross Webber, 27, of Gilbert Avenue, North Berwick; Craig Boath, 24, of Gourdie Street, Dundee; and Neil Campbell, 46, of Glendareul Avenue, Bearsden, John Milligan, 40, of Wanlock Street, and John Murphy, 44, of West Moreland Street, all Glasgow.

Rennie, Strachan, Webber, Boath, Campbell and Milligan are also charged with conspiring to commit sexual offences against children.

The trial continues.