A former Scottish lifeboat hero is behind bars after being snared in an undercover police sting discussing the sexual abuse of a young girl. Ronald MacKillop was also found with a hoard of sick photos and videos described by experienced officers as among the “most horrendous” they had seen.
The 52-year-old, once a coxswain based at the Oban RNLI station, admitted his guilt as he appeared in the dock this week at the High Court in Glasgow. It emerged MacKillop already had a previous indecent images conviction. A judge warned him he could face a possible life sentence. MacKillop will return to court next month.
Undercover sting and chat history
In March this year, Police Scotland were told by child sex offence colleagues in England that MacKillop had been in contact online with who he believed was a “like minded” 35-year-old woman called Chloe. Instead, Chloe was an undercover officer investigating potential paedophiles. MacKillop had initially got in touch with her via the Telegram messaging app.
He claimed he was “a 48 year-old, bisexual male, a canine lover and was into other taboos”. MacKillop and Chloe chatted about abusing a child she apparently knew. He wanted to meet the girl to be part of her “training”.
MacKillop spoke about travelling from the home he shared with his wife in Oban to Kent to do this. He said he was “excited” at possibly seeing the child. MacKillop was involved in a series of “graphic” texts with Chloe, but warned he wanted to keep matters “secret”.
Court details and sentencing risk
Prosecutor Alexandria Kirk told the court: “During a call, he said he would like to talk to (the girl) and reiterated his fears about vigilante paedophile hunters.” In February this year, MacKillop claimed to be making plans to travel south. He then sent a “disappearing” photo of a train ticket – which appeared four years out of date.
MacKillop's home was raided the following month. He was there at the time with his wife. Miss Kirk: “A number of devices were recovered including a mobile phone from a hidden space above a washing machine in a utility cupboard.” A total of more than 3,000 photos and videos were discovered. Miss Kirk: “Experienced cyber crime officers described the images as some of the 'most horrendous' ever recovered by them.”
MacKillop pled guilty this week to an attempted conspiracy charge as well as having indecent images. It emerged he was already a convicted sex offender. MacKillop was spared jail in 2021 and instead handed a two-year community payback order for another indecent images crime. Prosecutors have moved for a full risk assessment order (RAO) to be made on him.
Patricia Baillie, defending, said: “It is acknowledged the deeply disturbing and grossly deviant nature of the offences that he has engaged in.” Lord Arthurson said if he does decide to call for a RAO, this could eventually lead to an Order for Lifelong Restriction being imposed. The judge told MacKillop: “Listening to the narrative, it is difficult to convey how depressing and deviant these crimes are.”
MacKillop was remanded in custody and is due to next appear in Edinburgh on December 3.
