David Graham's journey to jail - from Fife councillor to sex offender, politician to pariah

He returned to the dock at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Tuesday to be handed a 27-month jail sentence, and his name was added to the sex offenders’ register for the next decade. The last sighting was of him being led into a prison van, surrounded by a crowd with their phones aloft to capture the final moment of his downfall.

In court, his defence solicitor Chris Sneddon said his client still denied the offences, and suggested alternatives to prison, noting: “He’s been of service to the community and has led a pro-social lifestyle.”

Mr Sneddon said Graham had been a “hard-working” local representative – he was the council’s spokesperson for health and social care and a member of the NHS Fife board, sat on the boards of several schools, and was also a former ice hockey referee known to all fans as ‘Grimbo’. They too were shocked to hear of his arrest two years ago.

But Sheriff Robert More said Graham’s “culpability is very high”, adding it was “an escalating and quite brazen course of sexual behaviour towards the girl”.

He heard how the disgraced councillor engaged in sexual activity with the girl in his home, office and car over a period of more than six months. CCTV footage showed him kissing the girl in Kirkcaldy town centre after meeting for hot chocolate. Graham said of the kiss: “It’s the one moment I regret.”

The court was told he would buy her gifts, including a bracelet and necklace, and they spent hours phoning and messaging each other.

He was convicted of engaging in sexual activity with a child on various occasions between February and August 2023 at locations in Fife and Edinburgh and in his car, and caused her to participate in sexual activity.

The allegations came to light after a witness at a bowling club saw Graham stroking the girl’s leg under a table. The girl, now 17, said the first sexual contact was in his car, not long after she had turned 15.

She said she would meet him in St Andrews, go to Greggs for lunch and he stopped his car on country roads where he would grope her. Staff at Kirkcaldy café saw them holding hands across a table and CCTV from various locations showed them walking hand-in-hand, embracing and kissing.

He claimed his relationship with the girl was a “close friendship” and denied grooming her.

Police, the community and his political colleagues held a very different view.

Detective Inspector Graham Watson branded him “a manipulative individual who groomed and sexually abused his teenage victim”.

Helen Nisbet, procurator fiscal for Tayside, Central and Fife, said Graham “saw an opportunity to systematically groom and sexually abuse a vulnerable young girl, who had the right to be safe in his company”. She added: “He cynically and deliberately took advantage of an unbalanced power dynamic to commit these offences over the course of several months. Graham has now been held accountable following this prosecution and I give thanks to the victim for giving evidence which helped secure this conviction.”

Throughout the case Graham continued as a councillor – a decision that horrified colleagues across all parties. He logged into Levenmouth area committee meetings online, but his camera was never switched on, and he took no part in any proceedings.

His continued presence as an elected member was described as “incredulous” by Councillor Craig Walker, leader of the SNP group, whose call for Graham to quit immediately was unanimously endorsed across the boards last week.

At the meeting of the council’s cabinet, he said: “David Graham – I refuse to use the term councillor any longer – hear me. If you want to show a sliver of compassion, resign now. If you have a shred of decency or any remorse for your actions, resign now.”

He said Graham’s continued presence as a councillor was “a breach of trust that strikes at heart of public service” and damaged the standing of the local authority.

The council, however, had no formal power to get rid of him. That only happened automatically when Graham’s sentence meant he could be removed and a by-election held in a few months’ time.

Graham’s conviction also brings to an end the large-scale protests at the property where he was staying after his conviction three weeks ago. They were attracting over 100 people, and police were concerned at the number of children attending. A total of 10 people were arrested across several nights as the demos were streamed on social media platforms, captured on a phalanx of camera-carrying people.

“He will never be able to stay in town again” said one horrified political colleague after news of his arrest first emerged. The protests underlined how strongly people felt at his continued presence among them.

Graham’s local authority career is over. The sentence means he is disqualified from serving as a councillor, and his party has expelled him. But David Ross, leader of Fife Council, said: “David Graham should have resigned as a councillor as soon as he was convicted if not before, and his disqualification will be welcomed across the council.”

Councillor Kathleen Leslie, leader of the Conservative Group at Fife House, “David Graham’s predatory behaviour was both deplorable and manipulative. It was also an outrageous breach of trust to his victim, his community and to the electorate. He will now, quite rightly, not be able to serve as a councillor. I welcome the custodial sentence he has been given.”