Former police officer jailed after forcing girl to wear collar and lead during sex game

Roderick Macleod made the child pretend she was a dog by getting her to go on all fours while he held the lead in one hand and his penis in the other.

The vile 56-year-old, who was a serving police officer for seven years, then took horror pictures with the girl that were later found on his phone by police. Disgusted officers also discovered images of an adult woman engaging in sex acts with a dog that had been taken in the living room of his capital flat.

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

He appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for sentencing on Thursday after previously pleading guilty to offences including causing a child to participate in sexual activity and possessing extreme pornographic images.

Former police officer Roderick Macleod, 56. | Alexander Lawrie

Sheriff Christopher Dickson said: “These are appalling offences which involved a gross breach of trust. Given the serous nature of the offence and given there is an analogous previous conviction a custodial sentence is the only way to deal with this.”

Macleod was jailed for 21 months backdated to his remand date last December and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years. Sheriff Dickson also imposed a non-harassment order banning the the ex-cop from approaching or contacting the child for five years.

Fiscal depute Matthew Miller told the court Macleod was a former serving police officer and was in custody on another matter in November last year.

Mr Miller said: “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.”

Mr Miller said eight images of MacLeod and the girl were found along with sickening extreme pornographic images of an adult female engaging in sex acts with a dog.

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

The court heard police raided Macleod’s home and discovered the red dog collar and leash within the property. 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.

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.

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.

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