Former Labour councillor appears in court accused of downloading sexual abuse images of children

A former Labour councillor is to face trial, accused of downloading child sexual abuse images.

Ewan Dillon, 21, represents Bridge of Allan and Dunblane on Stirling Council and switched to being an independent in October 2022.

He was only 19 when he was elected in May the same year.

At Stirling Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Dillon denied a single charge under the Civic Government (Scotland) act 1982 which bans the “taking or making of any indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph” of children – the offence commonly known as downloading.

Appearing in the dock in a grey suit, white shirt and blue-and-white spotted tie, Dillon spoke only to confirm his name and his plea of not guilty.

The charge alleges the offence was committed between October 18 2021 and September 29 2022, during part of which time he was a sitting Labour councillor.

Sheriff Derek Hamilton set trial for May 20, 2024 and continued bail.

The court was told the case was likely to last two days.

Solicitor-advocate George Pollock, for Dillion, agreed that “the crux of the matter” was how the images in question “ended up on the computer”.

He said: “The case will turn on the evidence of the Crown expert, supplemented by evidence from Mr Dillon.”

Arriving at court earlier, Dillon failed to respond to a reporter’s requests for a comment.

Prior to quitting the Labour Party group on Stirling Council, Dillon had been vice-convener of the community planning and regeneration committee and the children and young people committee.

According to the Stirling Council website, he now sits as a member of the licensing board, and lists his non financial interests as “Member of the GMB Union”.

In May 2022 the then 19-year-old’s win in the Dunblane and Bridge of Allan ward, which is represented by four councillors, was seen as a good result for Labour.

A former Dunblane High pupil and member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, he said following his win: “We’re going to be focusing on things like closing the attainment gap and the cost of living crisis. One of the big issues for me is transport, on local bus routes and making sure there are no more cuts to vital services.”