A professional photographer accused of sexual offences involving 12 women has been described as a “manipulative”, “opportunistic” and “predatory” sex offender.
Simon ‘Sid’ Scott is facing a dozen sexual assault and indecent behaviour charges – with many of the claims against him alleged to have taken place during photo shoots.
The police investigation into Scott’s alleged offences saw cybercrime officers sift through hundreds of thousands of his photographs, with 150,000 deemed to contain eroticism or nudity.
Scott, of Sunnyside Road, Aberdeen, denies all the charges against him.
Fiscal says alleged sex assaults were ‘coming back to haunt’ accused
During cross-examination of the former photographer, fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar accused him of being a “sexual predator” who is attempting to get the jury to think he is “a decent man”.
Describing Scott’s accusers as “intelligent, articulate and straight-forward women”, the fiscal characterised him as a man who “revelled in making young women feel uncomfortable” during photoshoots between 2014 and 2018.
She quizzed him about the moment when a social media post accusing Scott of sexual misconduct towards young fashion models went viral in 2020.
He had earlier giving evidence stating that he informed his mother about the post, telling her “maybe someone had felt uncomfortable at a photoshoot”.
“Was that really an indication that you knew full well what was coming?” the fiscal asked.
Scott responded by stating that he “couldn’t have imagined it would become what it is now.”
Ms MacVicar pressed him: “You knew full well what you had done to every complainer in this case and you knew they were starting to speak up.
“You knew these sexual assaults you had got away with for years were coming back to haunt you, didn’t you?”
“I do not agree with that,” he replied.
‘A man skilled at pressuring young women’
As she gave her final speech to the jury yesterday, Ms MacVicar described Scott as “a man who is skilled at pressuring young women to get what he wants” and someone who “oversteps the line and pushes boundaries for his sexual gratification”.
She accused him of exploiting the “naivety” of young women who he “knew full well were in an isolated and vulnerable situation”.
“The Crown’s position is that that there is an underlying theme of exploiting situations often in a wholly calculating way,” she said, adding that Scott was a “manipulative”, “opportunistic” and “predatory” sex offender.
She closed by stating that she believed the case against Scott to be “overwhelming” and urged the jury to find him guilty on all 12 charges.
Scott’s defence advocate, David Taylor, will give his final speech to the jury today.
The trial, before Sheriff Morag McLaughlin, continues.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
