Edinburgh crime: Depraved ex-police officer made child pretend she was a dog and wear collar and leash

Roderick Macleod made the youngster get on all fours before taking pictures of them while he held the lead in one hand and his penis in the other at his home in Edinburgh.

The vile 56-year-old, who was a serving police officer for seven years, was also found to have taken revolting images of an adult woman engaging in sex acts with a dog in his living room.

Macleod was snared when shocked officers went through his phone after he had been arrested on a separate matter and was being held at a police station in the capital last year.

Macleod appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court where he pleaded guilty to offences including forcing the child to pretend she was a dog and wear a collar and lead, and to possessing extreme pornographic images.

Former police officer Roderick Macleod, 56. | Alexander Lawrie

Prosecutor Matthew Miller told the court: “Mr Macleod is a former serving police officer and on November 10, 2023 he was in custody on another matter.

“While in custody, possession was taken of his mobile phone and was subject to cyber analysis. Images of Mr Macleod [and a girl] were observed that were of concern.

“These images showed [the girl] on all fours wearing a dog collar and a leash around her neck in the accused’s living room. In that particular photo Mr Macleod is holding the dog leash in his hand and holding his exposed penis in his other hand.

“These images were confirmed to be first generation images taken on December 28, 2021.”

Mr Miller said the phone was sent for a full cyber crime analysis and a total of eight images were uncovered of MacLeod and the child. The fiscal added officers also found sickening extreme pornographic images of “an adult female engaging in intercourse and oral sex with a dog” stored on the mobile phone.

Mr Millar said: “These images were also first generation and taken within Mr Macleod’s home address.”

The court heard officers then executed a search warrant and during the raid on Macleod’s home had discovered the red dog collar and leash within the property.

Macleod was subsequently arrested and charged and was said to have given a no comment interview to officers.

Sheriff Christopher Dickson remanded Macleod in custody, and after placing him on the sex offenders register deferred sentence for the preparation of reports to later this month.

Macleod pleaded guilty to causing a child to participate in sexual activity by causing her to wear a dog collar and leash, pretend to be a dog and pose for photographs while he exposed and touched his penis on December 28, 2021.

He also admitted to possessing indecent images of the child and to possessing extreme pornographic images depicting an adult female engaging in sexual acts with a dog between December 2, 2021 and November 10 last year.

A Police Scotland spokesperson has confirmed Macleod was not a serving police officer at the time of the offences.

Macleod’s LinkedIn profile states he served as a police officer in the RAF before he was employed with Lothian and Borders Police between 1996 and 2003.

The account claims he was awarded three commendations for bravery, excellence and determination while serving in the force. He then worked in several prestigious Edinburgh hotels before being latterly employed as an operations manager with a tartan heritage company.