In 2016, the Offender Database recorded that Kevin Innes, then 33, of Elgin, Moray, was jailed for 330 days for repeatedly breaching the conditions of his bail. On appearing at Elgin Sheriff Court on 25 February 2016, the defendant wept in the dock as he was sentenced for hiding communication devices from the authorities. It was reported that Innes, who was originally convicted of grooming underage girls via Facebook in 2012, had narrowly escaped prison on the condition that he disclosed all electronic devices to the police.
The investigation established that Innes had gone to extreme lengths to conceal his digital activity. Police Scotland reported that during a search of his home at 3 Lossie Cottages, officers discovered a mobile phone and two SIM cards hidden beneath a stone slab in his back garden. The prosecution reported that between December 2014 and October 2015, Innes had lied to officers during numerous unannounced visits, continually insisting he was in full compliance with his restrictions.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Innes claimed he had found the phone near his home and was using it to monitor someone else’s Facebook account as a hobby. Elgin Sheriff Court heard how Innes had previously used social media to persuade children into sending him revealing images. The investigation established that although his lawyer argued Innes lived an isolated life and had not used the hidden device to commit new grooming offences, the act of secreting the hardware was a flagrant violation of the court’s trust.
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov noted the distinction between the original grooming offences and the breach of bail, but emphasised the necessity of a custodial sentence for such a calculated deception. For his actions in Elgin, Innes was sentenced to 330 days imprisonment. The judge noted that the strict monitoring conditions were a vital part of his original sentence for grooming, and his failure to abide by them made a prison term inevitable.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in Scotland, the status of Kevin Innes is as follows:
- Custodial Sentence: 330 days in prison (2016).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were maintained.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Elgin Sheriff Court following a Police Scotland investigation.
- Criminal Record: Breach of bail conditions; (Original conviction: Grooming underage children).
- Origin: Lossie Cottages, Elgin, Moray.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Innes is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Moray. Due to his history of grooming children on Facebook and his subsequent attempts to hide electronic devices in his garden in Elgin, his management remains subject to scrutiny. Authorities state that his behaviour demonstrates a high risk of digital non-compliance, necessitating frequent, unannounced forensic audits of his residence and property to ensure he is not using hidden technology to contact minors or access prohibited platforms.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Innes must comply with all notification requirements regarding his identity and residence. Authorities state that his history of child exploitation in Elgin necessitates permanent vigilance. Any future attempt to hide mobile phones, create unauthorised social media accounts, or engage in inappropriate behaviour in Moray or elsewhere will result in immediate arrest and a return to the court system for further incarceration.
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