Paedophile caught plotting to abuse two boys in cross-border probe

A paedophile was caught plotting to abuse two boys in a major cross-border police probe.

Andrew McAdam was found to be in regular contact with a fellow sex offender, who was eventually jailed for 20 years for child sex crimes.

This included McAdam, while away near Loch Lomond, “encouraging” the England-based paedophile to abuse a boy he was with.

The 36-year-old first offender appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday.

McAdam, of Mayfield, Edinburgh, pleaded to a total of nine charges, including conspiring with others to commit sexual abuse of two children and the rape of one of them.

He will be sentenced next month.

McAdam was caught during a probe by Greater Manchester Police in November 2022.

He was linked to indecent photos found on the phone of another pervert.

McAdam’s devices were later examined by Police Scotland, and it emerged he had “engaged in protracted communications with several paedophiles”, including “encouraging one another to sexually abuse children”.

He was also involved in the sharing of child sex abuse footage.

One person he was in contact with was Connor Cashmore.

The pair discussed a young child.

They communicated via Instagram, Telegram and sent 1,442 messages on WhatsApp.

Many of the photos and video clips shared “self-destructed” after being viewed.

Commenting on the content, McAdam stated at one stage: “Nothing is too much for me.”

Prosecutor Christopher Jones gave an account of the graphic descriptions of what they discussed.

McAdam told Cashmore: “You are honestly the best.”

This eventually led to the abuse of a boy. McAdam was in Scotland at the time, while Cashmore was in England, where the child was.

Mr Jones said: “Although McAdam was never present in the same room as (the boy), he participated in the sexual assault remotely by encouraging Cashmore while the abuse was going on.”

McAdam also preyed on another boy himself and recorded it on his phone. He shared footage with Cashmore.

Mr Jones said Cashmore, then 27, pleaded guilty to 16 offences at Worcester Crown Court in October 2024, including the rape and sexual assault of a child.

He was eventually jailed for 20 years, and police branded him “a highly dangerous and predatory individual” in what was one of the “worst cases of sexual abuse” they had been involved in.

The court heard that McAdam’s contact with the other paedophiles included more than 100 messages with one of them.

Mr Jones said McAdam was also caught exposing himself on the top deck of a bus in Edinburgh city centre and filming it.

The offences occurred between November 2023 and September 2024.

Lord Scott continued McAdam’s remand in custody as sentencing was deferred for reports.

The judge told him he will be receiving a “significant” jail term