In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that Adam McManus, 40, of Larbert, Stirlingshire, was jailed for a series of child sexual offences committed while serving as a police officer. On Monday, 2 March 2026, the defendant appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court for sentencing. It was reported that McManus, a former school campus officer in Airdrie, sent sexual messages to an undercover colleague posing as a 12-year-old girl and was found in possession of child abuse imagery.
The investigation established that McManus initiated contact with the undercover officer on an instant messaging app in January 2025. Police Scotland reported that despite being told the child was a first-year pupil, McManus repeatedly asked for images, made sexual remarks, and quizzed the decoy about sexual experiences. The prosecution reported that a forensic examination of his mobile phone, seized at his home in Larbert, Stirlingshire, also uncovered illegal videos and images documenting the abuse of children.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that McManus had worked as a school campus police officer covering two high schools in the Airdrie area for a number of years. Falkirk Sheriff Court heard how the married father-of-one was caught following a covert operation aimed at tackling online child exploitation. The prosecution reported that McManus admitted to sexual communication with a child, downloading abuse images, and indecent electronic communication with a known paedophile in Stirlingshire.
Sheriff Christopher Shead noted that given the nature and number of the offences, custody was the only appropriate disposal. For his actions in Cumbernauld, Airdrie, and Larbert, McManus—who resigned from the force after tendering his plea—was sentenced to one year in prison. The judge noted that the defendant’s position of trust as a police officer made the “indecent” nature of his communications a matter of grave public concern in Scotland.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in Scotland, Adam McManus was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: One year in prison (March 2026).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated for 10 years.
- Professional Status: Resigned from Police Scotland; barred from future service.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Falkirk Sheriff Court following guilty pleas.
- Origin: Larbert, Stirlingshire (Offences linked to Cumbernauld and Airdrie).
Monitoring and Public Protection
McManus is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Police Scotland and the prison estate. Due to his history as a school campus officer and his conviction for grooming a 12-year-old decoy in Airdrie, his management is subject to high-level oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, McManus must comply with notification requirements regarding his identity and residence until 2036. Authorities state that his “sexual interest” in a child and his possession of abuse imagery necessitate permanent and stringent monitoring of his conduct and digital access. Any further sexual misconduct or breach of his 10-year notification requirements in Larbert, Falkirk, or elsewhere will result in immediate arrest and a return to the court system for a lengthier term of incarceration.
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