Dayna McLaughlan, a lady from Ayrshire, who appeared in a BBC documentary that caused controversy, has been imprisoned for sexually abusing a man and exposing her breasts to youngsters in Cumnock.
Dayna McLaughlan, a prominent figure in the scheme, was also placed on the sex offenders registry for seven years. This was a consequence of her admission of charges related to sexual assault and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour.
Upon her return to Ayr Sheriff Court for sentencing, the 32-year-old was informed that no other options were available besides custody. This decision was made after she was evaluated and found unsuitable for a rigorous drug treatment and testing program.
Earlier, we documented the incident with Dayna McLaughlan, who had forcefully entered a residence in Wylie Crescent on October 4, 2023, and demanded a cigarette. Dayna McLaughlan gained recognition for his appearance in the BAFTA-winning BBC series The Scheme 14 years ago.
Subsequently, Dayna McLaughlan forcefully propelled the man into a bed, mounted him, and attempted to engage in a kiss.
The incident occurred shortly after Dayna McLaughlan removed her jacket in front of her own home on the same block, revealing her breasts and making threatening gestures outside a different residence.
In addition, she violated the bail orders imposed at Ayr Sheriff Court.
Upon pleading guilty in August, Dayna McLaughlan was told by Sheriff Desmond Leslie that “you will end up killing yourself if it continues”.
At the time Sheriff Leslie told Dayna McLaughlan he was going to “trust you to help yourself”, rather than sending her straight to jail, by sending her for assessment for a drug treatment and testing order (DTTO).
But When she returned to the same court for sentencing on Thursday, September 5, defence solicitor Rebecca Horton said: “Sheriff [Desmond] Leslie called for a full DTTO assessment.
“Unfortunately, she was assessed as unsuitable, which is somewhat regretful.
“Since she was 11 years of age, Dayna McLaughlan has had longstanding addiction issues. It is very much a vital feature of all offences.
“She is 33 years old and resides in Wylie Crescent, Cumnock.
“At the time of offending, she was consuming a cocktail of illicit substances: heroin, cannabis, Valium, crack cocaine, painkillers and sleeping tablets.
“She appears with her SHINE worker [an East Ayrshire women’s mentoring service], who certainly seems to have a positive influence on the lady and who attended the DTTO assessments.
“There is a lengthy record before the court, and your Lordship would see she is no stranger to custody.
“Custody may perhaps address her drug misuse. She has expressed a desire to do something and is aware she must.
“As Sherriff Leslie said, she is going to find herself dead consuming quantities of illicit substances.
“I would ask my lady to step back from custody and impose a community payback order with supervision requirements.
Sheriff Morag Fraser said: “A period of custody may only help in the short term. In the circumstances, I see no alternative other than a custodial sentence.”
Dayna McLaughlan was jailed for a total of 82 days and will be subject to the sex offenders register police notification requirements for seven years.
Procurator fiscal depute Alasdair Millar had previously told Ayr Sheriff Court: “The witness was a neighbour, who was in the kitchen of her property when her 13-year-old daughter told her that Dayna McLaughlan was outside in the street.
“The witness looked outside and saw the accused remove her jacket after that, exposing her naked breasts. It was two o’clock in the afternoon.
“The accused began shouting for her pet cat. She stayed outside for a few minutes and then returned to the property.
“Five minutes later, the witness moved to the living room and observed the accused at the window in her home, giving the witness the middle finger.
“The witness went to her front door and shouted to the accused, asking what she was doing. The accused began yelling and screaming at the witness.
“The accused shouted, ‘I don’t know what’s fing in you’ and called her a “fat fing w***e’. It was noted the accused was in a state of intoxication.
“About charge one, the Crown does not intend to suggest there was a significant sexual element to that charge.
Describing the sexual assault at a separate address on the street, he said, “At 8.45 pm, the witness and a friend were in the home address of the witness.
“At that time, the accused attended the door and asked for a cigarette. The accused was known to the witness. She was let in, but it indicated she would remain at the door.
“He went to the rear bedroom, and she followed him. She took off her coat at the bottom of the bed. The accused was also sitting on the bed.
“The accused stood up, made her way around, stood before the witness and pushed him onto the bed. She pushed him down on his back, and the accused jumped on top of him, attempting to kiss him.
“The witness did not want that and attempted to get the accused away.
“He left the bedroom, entering the toilet to distance himself from the accused.”
McLaughlan was the subject of a bail order at the time of the offence.
Not guilty pleas to several other charges were accepted after a deal was struck with prosecutors before a trial.