One of Britain's most depraved paedophiles has been released from prison, igniting fierce criticism of Scotland's justice system under the SNP government. James Rennie, the former chief executive of a publicly funded LGBT youth group, was a central figure in a major child abuse network.
A Trust Betrayed: The Crimes of James Rennie
James Rennie, 54, was jailed for life in 2009 after being convicted of a catalogue of child sex offences. The former Scottish Government adviser and trained teacher abused the toddler son of friends who had trusted him to babysit. He recorded the assault and distributed the footage to other predators within the paedophile ring.
During the harrowing police investigation, the victim's parents were compelled to watch the video of their infant son being violated. Rennie held a position of significant influence as the £40,000-a-year boss of LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS), where he used office computers to facilitate his secret, sordid life. He was suspended and resigned following his arrest in December 2007.
Reduced Sentence and Controversial Release
Initially handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 13 years, Rennie saw this reduced on appeal in 2011 to just eight and a half years before he could apply for parole. Police uncovered tens of thousands of horrific child abuse images during their probe into the eight-man ring.
It was revealed earlier this year that Rennie and an accomplice, Neil Strachan – who attempted to rape a toddler – had been granted temporary release from an open prison. While Strachan remains incarcerated, Rennie's full release has now been confirmed, with the Scottish Prison Service declining to comment on individual cases.
Political Fallout and Public Anger
The release has provoked outrage, with the Scottish Conservatives leading the condemnation. Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr stated, 'Scots will be sickened that this predatory offender is back on our streets. He should have spent the rest of his life behind bars.'
Kerr branded the release 'an insult to the victims and their families' and cited it as 'yet another damning example of the SNP’s soft-touch justice system, which constantly puts the needs of criminals first.' The controversy is heightened by the fact that the SNP government has recently awarded LGBT Youth Scotland nearly £500,000 in funding for 2025-26.
The case continues to raise severe questions about sentencing, parole, and the protection of the public from the most dangerous offenders within Scotland's devolved justice system.
