A convicted pedophile co-wrote a taxpayer-funded guide on how to “come out” as transgender for children as young as 13.
Andrew Easton, 39, was caught by cybercrime officers while chatting online with someone he believed to be a vulnerable 13-year-old boy whom he called “baby”.
Easton, who was sentenced at Aberdeen Sheriff Court last month, helped produce a guide for LGBT youth in Scotland (LGBTYS), which receives thousands of pounds from the Scottish Government and local authorities.
He contributed to a draft of “coming out” guidelines issued by the controversial organization, whose former chief executive James Rennie is serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting a baby.
Schools, local authorities, the Care Inspectorate and government-run health and social care authorities have all been given an updated version, but LGBTIs admit the original guidance, co-written by Easton, may still be in use.
A convicted paedophile co-wrote a taxpayer-funded guide on how to come out as transgender for children as young as 13 (file image)
Easton, who was sentenced at Aberdeen Sheriff Court (pictured) last month, helped produce a guide for LGBT youth in Scotland (LGBTYS), which receives thousands of pounds from the Scottish Government and local authorities.
Last night, Conservative MP Meghan Gallacher said: “This is a deeply disturbing situation – we are long overdue for an audit of how much public money this organisation receives and for assurances on what safeguarding assessments are in place.”
Easton, of Kennethmont, near Huntly, Aberdeenshire, distributed 32 video files depicting children aged between four and eight to other paedophiles.
He was given a community service order with supervision for three years and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for three years.
Educational psychologist Carolyn Brown told the Sunday Post the guide was full of “misinformation” which she described as “manipulative and influence-driven”.
LGBTYS was contacted for comment. A statement on its website says Easton has “never been, at any time, an employee or volunteer for LGBTYS.”
It said: “We condemn anyone who exploits or harms young people.”
The Scottish Government said education authorities are responsible for ensuring visitors undergo disclosure checks and that LGBTIQ safeguarding policy is an operational matter for the organisation.
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