Edinburgh landlord loses registration after failing to declare sex offence conviction

Kevin Cowley, originally of Easthouses, Midlothian, was jailed for four years in 2018 after being found guilty of indecent assault against a 15-year-old girl.

A representative of Police Scotland read out a narrative of Cowley’s attack during a committee meeting.

On 21 May 2017, he went to stay at a friend’s caravan in East Lothian after he had been out drinking in Leith. The daughter of the friend woke up in a state of partial undress with Cowley leaning over her.

She screamed and ran from the room, telling her parents that she was in pain and that she did not know what happened before she woke.

Cowley was sentenced on 20 August 2018 at the High Court in Edinburgh after pleading guilty.

Councillors heard on Monday that Cowley did not report his conviction when applying for landlord registration in the city. | Getty Images/iStockphoto

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During sentencing, Lord Boyd of Duncansby told Cowley: “You gave no explanation for your behaviour but it is clear it was for your own sexual gratification. It is clear this had a traumatic and lasting effect on your victim.”

Cowley was placed on the sex offender’s registry for life, and jailed for four years.

Edinburgh councillors heard on Monday, March 3, that Cowley did not report his conviction when applying for landlord registration in the city.

He did not attend the committee meeting, and his landlord registration was revoked in his absence. Cowley’s landlord registration covered one property, on Water Street in Leith.

Police Scotland was contacted for comment.