Loch Ness community 'devastated' amid investigation into sexual assault of boy at campsite

Locals and business owners in Loch Ness have said they are “shocked and devastated” after an eight-year-old boy was sexually assaulted during a camping trip in the area.

The boy was asleep within his tent at Loch Ness Bay Campsite in Drumnadrochit when he was approached by a man between 12.20am and 1am on July 31.

The man sexually assaulted the boy while his family, who were tourists on holiday, were asleep in an adjacent tent.

Police have confirmed that the boy’s father overheard the incident and witnessed the suspect, described as a white man, aged between 35 and 50 years old, around 5ft 10ins tall and bald, leaving the area.

Investigations are ongoing almost a week on from the attack.

‘All of us are devastated’

“Devastated, all of us”, Ian Miller, the owner of the local gift shop, Loch Ness Gifts, told STV News.

“All the local businesses in the area are devastated. There’s not much more to say at this point.

“We just hope whoever did it, gets caught.”

Jackie Hodgkinson, owner of Bridgend House B&B, said the assault will make locals “wary about their own kids”.

“Everyone is just so shocked that it happened in our community”, she said.

“Everyone is playing amateur detective, trying to figure out what happened.

“We’re all just so concerned about the wee one affected as well. It would make you wary about your own kids.”

During a media briefing in Inverness, officers said it is not known if the suspect was staying on the campsite, but police have not ruled out that line of inquiry.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0167 of July 31, 2025.

Alternatively, an anonymous report can be made to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.