A former SNP equalities officer who once told how he wanted to “beat the f***” out of gender critical feminists has been jailed for a string of sexual and physical assaults.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) branded Cameron Downing a “dangerous individual whose predatory and manipulative behaviour has inflicted unimaginable trauma”.
The 24-year-old, who is non-binary and uses he/they pronouns, targeted six male and female victims at addresses in the Edinburgh, Glasgow and Falkirk areas between 2016 and 2023.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how the former drama student blackmailed a young man into maintaining a sexual relationship by threatening to falsely accuse him of rape.
The victim told jurors he felt “trapped” by Downing’s threat to tell the police, his friends, family, and employer.
Downing also repeatedly sent the man threatening messages, demanded he share his social media passwords, and made threats to take their own life.
Judge Alison Stirling told Downing: “You present with distorted views regarding intimate partner violence, and you have shown no remorse or insight into how your actions may have affected your victim.”
She added: “You have the capacity to cause physical and sexual harm as well as emotional and psychological distress.”
Downing spent their trial denying any wrongdoing and claimed he was battling complex mental health issues at the time of the abuse.
Michael Meehan KC, defending, told the court how his client had suffered adverse childhood experiences and endured “homophobic and derogatory remarks” while at school.
Last month, a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh found Downing guilty of a total of 10 charges, including sexual and physical assault, assault to injury, and domestic abuse.
He was handed a nine-year extended sentence on Tuesday, with six years in prison and three years on licence once released back into the community.
Downing, from Edinburgh, was also added to the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and banned from contacting one of the victims.
Judge Stirling said Downing showed a “hostility towards women, lack of concern for others, sexual preoccupation and deviant sexual preference”.
She added: “You have been assessed as being at a high risk of sexual reoffending.
“You have relationship deficits and have been manipulative as well as showing a callous disregard within your friendship groups.
“Your offences are likely to have caused significant psychological and physical harm to all your victims, and their psychological recovery from your actions could be prolonged.”
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This is not the first time Downing has come to public attention.
In 2022, he tweeted about how he wanted to “beat the f*** out of some terfs [which stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminists] and transphobes”.
He also posted: “I f****** hate terfs and transphobes with such a passion they make me want to scream!”
The posts caused Harry Potter author JK Rowling to say: “Nicola Sturgeon’s Scotland: A place where an equalities officer feels free to declare in public how much he wants to beat up non-compliant women.”
Downing, who was the equalities convenor for the SNP’s London branch, later resigned from the post when the comments came to light.
Katrina Parkes, Scotland’s procurator fiscal for high court sexual offending, said: “Cameron Downing is a dangerous individual whose predatory and manipulative behaviour has inflicted unimaginable trauma.
“It is thanks to the bravery and courage of his victims that this prosecution has been possible.
“I would urge any victim of a similar crime not to suffer in silence but to report it and seek support.
“You will be listened to, and we will use every tool available to us in seeking justice.”