Two men who filmed their rape of a drugged and defenceless young father have been jailed for life for his murder.
Warning: This article contains details readers may find distressing
Dylan Brister, 28, and Cameron Allan, 21, spiked Calum Simpson’s drink leaving him unconscious, before subjecting him to a serious sexual assault that was recorded on a mobile phone.
The father-of-four – who was a stranger to the killers – had his wrists bound with rope during the attack.
Mr Simpson, 24, later died from intoxication caused by Class C drug Etizolam – commonly found in “street valium” – and alcohol.
His youngest child had only been born 11 days earlier.
Judge Lord Harrower told the killers: “The personal statements I have received from Calum Simpson’s partner, mother and aunt bear witness to the terrible devastation you have caused to his whole family.
“There are so many milestones in the children’s lives that their father will no longer be able to share for reasons that cannot adequately be explained to them.
“No sentence of this court can alleviate the family’s grief and anguish.”
The attack occurred at Brister’s home in Methil, Fife, in November 2021.
The pair, who had deleted several video recordings of their attack, told police Mr Simpson had been awake, conscious and consenting throughout.
However, one of the videos was recovered by Police Scotland‘s specialist cybercrime unit and helped to snare the killers.
During the footage, Allan could be heard saying to his accomplice: “At least he is still breathing.”
The pair’s trial at the High Court in Edinburgh heard the killers had been seeking to recruit a man to make up a threesome with them but efforts to find a participant failed.
One man who met Allan at an inaugural Pride event in Dundee was told they would be “up for” choking him and wanted to tie him up and abuse him but he chose not to become involved.
Lord Harrower said: “His narrow escape was Calum Simpson’s misfortune.”
Mr Simpson arrived at the house with a friend who knew the pair and later departed leaving him alone with them.
During the trial, both Brister and Allan attempted to blame each other for spiking Mr Simpson’s drink with Etizolam.
Brister had won more than £20,000 gambling and bought 1,000 tablets for £200. He claimed he thought the tablets were diazepam.
During an interview with police, Brister told officers: “We are not rapists. We are young boys that like a bit of fun.”
Jurors heard that Brister had previously spiked the drink of one woman and placed tablets in the mouth of another without her consent.
Brister claimed he suffered from a complex post-traumatic stress disorder and a personality disorder and received anti-psychotic medication.
He said: “I won’t dispute the fact that Calum passed out and we carried on. I didn’t spike that boy, but yes, I gave him drugs.
“We raped him and continued to have sex. It is what it is, disgusting. It should never have happened. I am not going to make excuses.”
Allan said he was diagnosed with an attachment disorder after watching his mother die in a car accident when he was three.
He said he was disgusted that he took videos.
When asked why he continued after the victim passed out, he replied he did not know he was doing something wrong at the time.
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Brister and Allan were in July found guilty of sexual assault, rape and murder following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Separately, Brister pleaded guilty to assaulting two police officers in the execution of their duty.
The killers were sentenced to life at the High Court in Dundee on Friday, with Brister ordered to serve a minimum of 23 years behind bars and Allan 19 years.
The pair, from Fife, were also added to the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
When punishing Allan, the judge said he had referred to the guidelines for sentencing under-25s and would have handed down a lengthier prison term had he been older.
But Lord Harrower noted: “The difficulty I have with you is that, even by your own admission, you have told one lie after another.
“Your story seems to change with every telling. Even the forensic psychologist has referred in her report to the implausible, contradictory, fantastical, and self-pitying character of much of what you had to say during the course of two lengthy interviews.”
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Moira Orr, head of homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said the “depraved and predatory actions” of Brister and Allan had “robbed a family of their loving son, father, partner, nephew and grandson”.
She added: “They showed a blatant disregard for their victim’s safety and life by spiking his drink with drugs before subjecting him to the most harrowing sexual abuse.
“We have worked hard to deliver justice for Calum Simpson and his family, who continue to deal with the devastation and trauma of losing their loved one.
“The COPFS team used every tool at our disposal to ensure these two men faced the consequences of their despicable actions.
“Our thoughts remain with Calum’s family and friends.”
