On Tuesday, 19 March 2019, the Offender Database reported that John Crooks, then 54, a former consultant in urology from Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, was spared a prison sentence despite admitting to a series of offences involving an undercover police officer he believed was a 14-year-old girl.
The investigation by Police Scotland began when Crooks, who was living in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, at the time, used the Kik messaging service to contact someone he thought was a schoolgirl named Lara from Perth, Perthshire. Between February and March 2018, he sent lewd messages and graphic images of his penis, telling the child he was a doctor and wanted to “examine” her.
Undercover Sting and Arrest
The former surgeon arranged to meet the child at a Travelodge he had booked. When he arrived at the hotel reception, he was met by undercover officers rather than the 14-year-old he expected. Crooks had travelled to the meeting with a bag containing condoms, lubricant, and Viagra.
He pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to:
- Attempting to communicate indecently with a child.
- Attempting to cause a child to view sexual images.
- Attempting to meet an underage girl with the intention of engaging in unlawful sexual behaviour.
Sentence and Community Requirements
Sheriff Martin Jones QC emphasised that while the offences passed the custody threshold, he would impose a direct alternative to prison. For his crimes, John Crooks was:
- Handed a three-year Community Payback Order.
- Ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.
- Placed under supervision in the community for three years.
- Placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.
The court also imposed strict conditions on his internet use, requiring that any device he uses retain a history that authorities can check at any time.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Crooks is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Police Scotland. His movements and behaviour in Dumbarton, Kirkintilloch, and the wider Dunbartonshire area remain under scrutiny.
As a former medical professional who used his status to groom a child, he is prohibited from medical practice. Any attempt to bypass his internet monitoring or contact minors will result in his immediate arrest and a return to court for a custodial sentence.
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