Father and son members of a self-styled paedophile hunting gang have been locked up after turning up late for an Angus court appearance.
Gordon and Jay Buchan had been due to appear with two co-accused at Forfar Sheriff Court on Thursday for sentencing over their part in an incident in the Angus town in August 2018.
They were part of a contingent involving members of Wolf Pack Hunters UK who travelled to Angus from the Lothians and Glasgow, leading to a major police response and the initial arrest of six people.
Gordon Buchan, 40, and Jay Buchan, 19, both of Glenfinnan Road, Glasgow, along with Karen Ferry, 48, of Lilac Avenue, Dalkeith, and Marcin Kuciak, 39, of Easter Drylaw Place, Edinburgh, all previously pled guilty to breaching the peace in Forfar’s Old Halkerton Road on August 15 2018.
They admitted attending the street as a group, behaving in an offensive manner, presenting banners and, with hoods over their heads and faces masked, shouting, swearing and making offensive remarks while broadcasting their behaviour live on social media.
All four had been due to appear for sentence before Sheriff Gregor Murray at Forfar, but only Ferry made it into the dock when the case was called.
Solicitor Andrew Lyall, for Gordon Buchan, said his client had advised instructing agents that he had been suffering from a suspected chest infection or heart problem and might not be able to attend.
He also told the sheriff Kuciak had been delayed, but a background report on that accused was not available.
Jay Buchan was not represented in the court, leading to the sheriff issuing arrest warrants in respect of the three male accused.
Buchan Snr and Jnr are understood to have arrived at court later and were arrested by police. It is understood they will appear from custody at Forfar on Friday.
The warrant for Kuciak remains outstanding.
Sheriff Murray told Ferry: “I recognise you have co-operated throughout, unlike your co-accused who have done nothing of the sort, but it is appropriate you are sentenced together.”
He continued her case until March 5.
In the August 2018 incident, the group arrived around 8pm and were eventually escorted from the street around three hours’ later. Police maintained an overnight presence at the property.
A video of the Forfar incident on the group’s Facebook site was viewed more than 25,000 times before being taken down.
