Victim of SNP activist later convicted of sex offences claims party failed to act after concerns were raised

A victim of sex offender Cameron Downing raised concerns with the SNP that he held an equalities role in the party after being charged with sex offences but no action was taken, it has been alleged.

Downing, 24, attacked seven people between 2016 and 2021 and was convicted of ten charges including sexual and physical assaults, and domestic abuse.

Last month he was jailed for six years at the High Court in Edinburgh, prompting calls for answers about how much the SNP knew.

Downing bragged about being “friends” with ex-first minister Nicola Sturgeon, it was reported, and concerns had allegedly been raised with the SNP in 2022 because of images of him holding a placard threatening “terfs”.

The SNP removed his membership in January 2023 claiming it was “as soon as we became aware of legal action being taken” – however one of Downing’s victims told the Sunday Mail she raised concerns in 2022.

Cameron Downing was jailed for six years at the High Court in Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA Wire) PA Media

The newspaper reported Downing was arrested and charged in 2021 – but was appointed an equalities officer in the SNP’s London branch and held two other roles in the party’s official LGBT wing, Out for Independence.

The Sunday Mail said one of his victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wrote to the SNP in October 2022 to raise concerns about the positions Downing was holding and that it was a “disservice” to victims.

The woman – who previously supported the SNP – said it was “disturbing” that questions she was then asked were all about the party.

She said Downing introduced her to Sturgeon at an Edinburgh vigil for victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida in 2016.

The woman told the paper: “I went to a vigil in St Andrew’s Square. Sturgeon was there and I met her with Cameron. She was on a first name basis with him.

“Cameron’s actions do not make him suitable to represent anyone, especially a minority that already faces enough criticism.”

Downing reportedly boasted about being friends with Nicola Sturgeon (Jane Barlow/PA) PA Media

In October 2022, she is reported to have emailed SNP HQ and Holyrood equalities committee convener, MSP Karen Adam, after images of Downing with Sturgeon emerged.

The email reportedly read: “I am contacting you in reference to an equalities officer of the London branch. Cameron is involved in a High Court case that involves more than five individuals that he has sexually harassed or assaulted.

“The case has been ongoing for over a year. It is a disservice to his victims and the LGBTQ+ community to allow him to continue.

“Multiple images have been posted and, while I do not blame Nicola Sturgeon, it is still very difficult to witness.

“Cameron’s actions do not make him suitable to represent anyone, especially a minority that already faces enough criticism.”

She had already reported to police that Downing had forcibly kissed her, and had bombarded her with used sanitary products before scalding her, according to the paper.

The Sunday Mail said that responding, Ian McCann, SNP corporate governance and compliance manager, allegedly asked: “If – to your knowledge – any of the circumstances around the allegations involved SNP events or SNP members?”

The woman told the paper it was “sickening”, and added: “It seemed they were more interested in ‘Was it SNP adjacent? Did it happen in the SNP?’.

“There didn’t appear to be any concern about me or others. I emailed Karen Adam as I knew she had been in pictures with him. She said there wasn’t really anything she could do. The same with my local MSP.

“The SNP gave him these positions after he’d been arrested. That’s really disturbing.

“He was working with LGBT people who are vulnerable, after committing sex attacks.

“The SNP hardly said anything about their knowledge of what he was doing or why he was able to get these roles.

“It’s not right.”

Judge Alison Stirling told Downing he had “shown no remorse or insight”, and had shown “hostility towards women” during sentencing in July.

SNP MSP Fergus Ewing, who previously called for an investigation, told the paper: “The party leaders must now come clean and spell out exactly what happened and why they failed to act upon the offensive social media comments by this man.

“The leadership boast about there being no place for sexism or misogyny and that such behaviour will immediately lead to expulsion. At the same time, they fail to act when this very behaviour is brought to their attention. This is rank hypocrisy.”

An SNP spokeswoman said: “We are not aware of any complaints ever being made about Mr Downing by SNP members about their contact with him.

“Neither are we aware of Out for Independence having had issues with Mr Downing’s behaviour.

“Mr Downing was removed from SNP membership in January 2023 as soon as we became aware of legal action.”