Paedophile, 21, branded Scotland's most dangerous predator, gets life

Published on Wednesday 21 July 2010 14:52

A PAEDOPHILE student branded one of the country's most dangerous sexual predators was given a life sentence yesterday for a catalogue of offences both online and against those he met personally.

Andrew Byrne, 21, was told by a judge that he would serve at least six years in prison before he would be allowed to apply for parole. He won a discount in that period, partly because his co-operation with the authorities has helped bring other sexual offenders to justice.

Byrne, of Byres Road, Glasgow, a former microbiology student at Glasgow University, committed 32 indecency offences against 19 children, both boys and girls, and was described by one of his victims as being like "a teacher of sex." Prosecutors said he was guilty of some of the most damaging and disturbing crimes of their kind ever encountered, and that he was one of Scotland's most dangerous sexual predators.

Lord Brailsford had ordered a risk assessment report on Byrne for yesterday's sentencing hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, and he said: "It is lengthy and detailed. However, the important element is the conclusion: 'Mr Byrne can be considered as posing a risk of sexual violence towards the general public, most notably male and female children.'

"Having regard to that forceful conclusion, I am quite satisfied that this is a case where the law requires that I make an order for lifelong restriction (OLR]."

The order means Byrne can be kept in custody indefinitely and, if released, he will be under supervision for the rest of his life and liable to be recalled to prison.

Lord Brailsford added: "I should also acknowledge that you yourself were young when these offences took place and that you have displayed insight into the causes of your offending."

The judge imposed individual, concurrent sentences totalling 79 years on the 32 charges, but the longest — six years — will be Byrne's punishment part.

The offences, between September 2007 and July 2009, included having sex with four underage girls, and instructing a youth, 15, to abuse his eight-year-old cousin while Byrne watched on a webcam and recorded it.

Byrne was arrested as part of an investigation, Operation Defender, which was undertaken by Central Scotland Police after a 13-year-old girl went missing in Clackmannanshire and it was discovered she had been contacted online by a number of males.

Police found almost 600 indecent images of children on Byrne's computers. He admitted downloading "weird stuff" and said: "I don't know why I keep doing it."

Inquiries revealed that he had contacted children in Scotland and England using networking sites. He had met up with some of them for sex, while others were encouraged to undress and take part in sexual activity via webcams.

The advocate-depute, Gillian Wade, said one girl had thought she and Byrne were in "a special relationship" and another had stated that Byrne seemed obsessed with sex."

Ms Wade added: "She felt as if he was a ‘teacher of sex'."

The defence counsel, Brian McConnachie, QC, said Byrne accepted the terms of the risk assessment report and that there was no option for the judge but to impose an OLR.

Mr McConnachie said Byrne had developed "something of a loner personality".