Prosecution closes at child sex abuse trial of former head of gay charity
The prosecution have summed up eight weeks of evidence in the trial of a former gay charity chief, accused of sexually assaulting a three month old child.
James Rennie, 38, the former Chief Executive of LGBT Youth Scotland is charged with the sexual assault of a three-month-old boy over four years.
He’s also one of eight men charged with possessing indecent sexual images including the rape of children.
As well as Mr Rennie, John Murphy, 44, Neil Strachan, 41, John Milligan, 40, Ross Webber, 27, Craig Boath, 24, Neil Campbell and Colin Slaven, 23 are on trial.
Mr Rennie is also one of six men accused of conspiring to meet to participate in the sexual assault of a child.
In her summing up, Dorothy Bain QC said that Mr Rennie gave the appearance of an intelligent charity boss, but “In reality he was someone who allowed his profound interest in sexual abuse of children to engulf his entire life.”
She told the court that Mr Rennie’s mind was “polluted by a deviant compulsion.”
Referring to the images of child abuse that he and the other men are accused of possessing, she said: “each image is a record of the sexual assault of a child.
“Nothing fantastical, a real child.”
Rennie previously admitted to police that he looked at images of child abuse. He said: “I have discovered I have a somewhat addictive personality to sex. I just find it difficult and when I am not busy I kind of fall into a pattern of looking for sexual activity of all sorts.”
When arrested he told the police: “Today I know I have lost just about everything I have worked so hard for a long time. I knew this day was coming.”
Rennie was suspended from his post as Chief Executive of LGBT Youth Scotland in December 2007 and resigned in February 2008.
The trial continues.
