A shamed former SNP councillor who groomed and abused a string of teenage boys has been jailed for six years.
Mark Kerr preyed on victims including attempting to rape one at his home in Croy, Lanarkshire. The 40 year-old struck mostly before he was elected as a councillor in 2017 for the Kilsyth ward.
But, he went on to grope the final victim at a food bank in the village in May 2020. Kerr denied the accusations and insisted he had been the target of a vendetta, which saw him forced out of his home of 32 years.
But, he was found guilty of a total of nine charges spanning between December 2010 and May 2020. The crimes were the attempted rape as well as sex offences against five other male victims.
He was sentenced today at the High Court in Paisley, where Judge Douglas Brown was told pervert Kerr continues to protest his innocence. The judge said: "This was a systematic and deliberate course of conduct.
"You spent time with teenage boys, tried to engage them in sexually charged conversations and took advantage of opportunities to assault them. You took advantage of one of the boys while he was asleep and attempted to rape him."
Some of the victims and their relatives were at court for the hearing today. There were cries of "justice" and "yes" as Kerr was sentenced.
Jurors at the trial at the High Court in Glasgow heard how all the boys in the case were much younger than the former nationalist politician. Kerr, now of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, got to know the first when he was in his mid-teens.
The then boy looked upon openly gay Kerr as a "mentor" as he came out himself. He said sexual activity with Kerr first took place at a disused quarry when he was 15.
The victim - now in his mid 20s - said the older man then attacked him after they had earlier been at a local SNP function. He was asleep at the time at Kerr's home.
Describing the 2015 attempted rape, he recalled: "I froze once I understood what was happening. I could not control my body. It did not allow me to do anything."
He later confronted Kerr at knifepoint in the street. The victim's mother had also turned up and she witnessed her son yelling: "Tell my mum what you done to me."
Kerr claimed he was innocent, but was said not to be able to meet the woman's eyes. Kerr tormented another boy from around 2012. Referring to lurid accounts of gay sex, he stated to the youngster: "Don't knock it until you have tried it."
He went on to grab the worried teenager's bottom. The court heard Kerr joined two boys on a camping trip pitching a tent near the Boathouse restaurant in Croy.
He was guilty of molesting one of them in the tent, but acquitted of raping another at that time. However, he did sexually assault the rape accuser in 2014 in Croy while he was asleep.
In 2014, Kerr targeted another of the teenagers by groping him and sending him sexually graphic messages online. But, even after he had been elected to a position of power in the community, Kerr continued his offending.
His last young victim was molested at a food bank set up to help people during the 2020 lockdown. He told the trial: "I thought he was a nice guy. I do not see that now."
Kerr gave evidence during the trial and claimed he had been targeted after he had put a video of boys playing at a local disused quarry on his councillor Facebook page. He said this was done purely to warn parents of the dangers.
Kerr sobbed as he told how he had been filmed being forced out of his home by locals and branded the "local nonce". In often graphic detail, he insisted he was physically unable to do some of what was alleged claiming he was "a 40 year-old virgin".
But, prosecutors said he was a "predator - hiding in plain sight". In his closing speech, advocate depute Michael Macintosh told jurors: "You might come to the conclusion that behind the public persona, that friend to all, he was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
"A lot of people thought he was a good guy, but he was a man who used his position, age and role as an activist and mentor to engage in sustained grooming of teenage boys for his gratification."
The court heard today a pre-sentencing report had Kerr "lacking remorse and empathy" for the victims. David Taylor, defending, said: "He tells me he regards sexual offending as abhorrent and, in no way, condones that behaviour. It is his view that he was not guilty."
Kerr was also put on the sex offenders list indefinitely.
Police Scotland welcomed the sentencing in a statement.
Detective Inspector Colin Moffat, of the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “Kerr was in a position of responsibility and trust as a local politician but he prayed on teenagers, one of whom he met at an official function. He befriended them and betrayed them.
“I welcome his conviction and placement on the Sexual Offenders Register. Our thoughts are very much with his victims and their bravery in coming forward is commended. I hope they now get some closure with his sentencing.
“Tackling sexual crime is a top priority for Police Scotland and we will work to remove offenders like Kerr from our communities. I would urge anyone who has or is the subject of any form of abuse to get in touch with us. We have specialist officers who can assist, no matter when something happened. You can call us on 101 or make a call to the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
