Former SNP equalities officer who wanted ‘to beat up terfs’ jailed for sexual assaults

A former SNP equalities officer who told how he wanted to “beat the f—” out of gender critical feminists is a “dangerous” predator, prosecutors have said after he was jailed for a series of sexual assaults.

Cameron Downing, who was an official in the SNP’s London branch, was sentenced to six years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh.

He was convicted of sexually assaulting six young adults and physically assaulting two women.

The 24-year-old targeted his victims at addresses in the Edinburgh, Glasgow and Falkirk areas between Hogmanay in 2016 and April 2021.

Downing was also found guilty of domestic abuse, which involved conduct spanning several months, where he threatened to falsely accuse a former partner of raping him.

He said he would tell the man’s friends, family and employers before blackmailing the victim to be in a sexual relationship with him.

Online conduct criticised by JK Rowling

Downing, who identifies as non-binary, has been pictured at an SNP conference with Nicola Sturgeon, the former Scottish first minister, and took part in a Pride march alongside Karen Adam, the SNP MSP and convenor of Holyrood’s equalities committee. There is no suggestion they were aware of his wrongdoing.

His conduct online has been criticised by JK Rowling, after he wrote on Twitter that he wanted to “beat the f— out of some terfs and transphobes”. He also tweeted “I f—— hate terfs and transphobes with such a passion.”

“Terf” is an acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a slur for women such as Rowling who do not believe that men who claim to identify as women are literally female, and who want to protect single-sex spaces.

Police Scotland launched an investigation into his conduct, which started when he was  16. He denied any wrongdoing during his trial, saying he had been battling “complex” health problems at the time of the abuse.

However, Downing, of Willowbrae, Edinburgh, was convicted last month and returned to the dock on Tuesday for sentencing.

‘No compassion’

Judge Alison Stirling referred to an interview he gave to a court-appointed social worker in which he continued to protest his innocence.

She said: “You have shown no compassion or insight into how your behaviour has affected the wellbeing of your victims.

“Your risk cannot be managed in the community and custody is the only appropriate disposal with regard to the seriousness of your offending in this case.

“I am going to impose a sentence in two parts. The first part will be a custodial term of six years and the second part will be supervision.”

She also ordered Downing to be supervised by the authorities for three years following his release from custody.

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and was made the subject of an indefinite non-harassment order in respect of one of the complainers.

Downing blew kisses to family members sitting in the public benches as security guards took him away from the court.

Speaking after his appearance, 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.”

‘Downing victim of homophobia’

Michael Meehan KC, defending, told the court that sentencing guidelines for young people applied to Downing’s case.

Judges have to take into account research that people aged under 24 do not have fully formed brains and have a greater chance of rehabilitation than older people.

Mr Meehan also told the court of how his client had suffered adverse childhood experiences, adding: “He was the victim of homophobic and derogatory remarks whilst at school.”

Downing is a former drama student who has acted in Edinburgh Fringe productions. He also worked as an NHS contact tracer during the pandemic.

In response to his tweets about “terfs”, Harry Potter author Rowling tweeted in October 2022: “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.”

His trial heard how Downing threatened his former partner that he would tell his friends, family and employer that he was a rapist.

A message shown to the jury said Downing wanted his victim to continue having sex with him. It read: “You should want that with all of your f—— being because the alternative is losing me from your life and most likely facing a court case for raping me.”

He also repeatedly sent the victim threatening messages, demanded he provide his social media passwords and made threats to kill himself.

Downing subjected the man to repeated sexual activity without his consent over the course of several months.