Two Fife men who raped and drugged young father face life in jail for his murder

Dylan Brister and Cameron Allan spiked the victim's drinks leaving him unconscious, before subjecting him to a sexual assault recorded on a mobile phone.

Father-of-three Calum Simpson (24) died from intoxication with the Class C drug Etizolam and alcohol following the attack at Brister's home in Methil. His youngest child was born 11 days earlier.

Graphic footage recovered from Allan's phone was shown to a jury during the trial of the pair for murder at the High Court in Edinburgh along with photographs of horrific injuries sustained by the dead man in the attack on him. The trial judge, Lord Harrower, told jurors after they unanimously convicted the pair of the sexual assault, rape and murder: "The evidence has been of the most harrowing nature that this court has ever had the misfortune to listen to."

He said that in light of the sensitive nature of the trial any juror would be entitled to use counselling services if required and excused them from further jury service for the rest of their lives.

The judge told Brister and Allan that there was only one sentence for murder, a life sentence, but he would adjourn for background reports until next month.

Advocate depute Angela Gray told jurors: "What you saw on that footage was rape. It was sexual assault. It was committed by both accused acting together."

The prosecutor said: "They drugged him for their sexual gratification. That drugging was wickedly reckless to the consequences and in so doing they had a complete disregard for the safety and the life of Calum Simpson."

She said the film was "a glimpse into the depravity" and the dynamic between Brister and Allan. The court heard that Allan and Brister had been seeking to recruit a man to make up a threesome with them but efforts to find a participant failed.

Mr Simpson, a complete stranger, arrived at the house by chance with a friend, Dylan Stewart, who knew the pair and later departed leaving him alone with them. Ms Gray said: "There was no evidence that Calum Simpson had any homosexual tendencies.".

Brister (27) formerly of Herriot Crescent, Methil, and Allan, 21, of Berrylaw Place, Dunfermline, had denied murdering Mr Simpson on November 2 and 3 in 2021. They were accused of causing him to ingest tablets containing Etizolam in alcoholic drinks without his knowledge or consent, resulting in him losing consciousness and failing to give or get medical help for the victim.

The predatory pair were also convicted of sexually assaulting and raping their victim after he was unconscious. The victim's wrists were bound with rope during the attack.

During the trial the pair tried to blame each other for spiking drinks with the controlled drug Etizolam, which is commonly found in so-called 'street valium', but is up to 10 times more potent than diazepam. Brister had won more than £20,000 gambling and bought 1000 tablets for £200. He claimed that he believed they were genuine diazepam, but Allan, who said he was at the drugs handover, said it was strips of drugs in a freezer bag and they came with a warning.

During an interview with police Brister told officers: "We are not rapists. We are young boys that like a bit of fun."

An experienced medical examiner who saw the injuries inflicted told the court: "If the person was awake and fully conscious it would be very painful."

The court heard evidence that Brister had previously spiked the drink of a woman with diazepam in 2018 and put tablets in the mouth of another without her consent which she swallowed and left her feeling dizzy and "spaced out" at his home. Brister told the court he suffered from complex post traumatic stress disorder and a personality disorder. He said he had been taking a lot of drugs and was drinking heavily and gave tablets to both Mr Stewart and Mr Simpson, but maintained he did not spike drinks on the night of the murder.. He added: "I was very, very out my face."

Brister 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," he said.

Brister said he met Allan on a gay dating app after his 16th birthday and they began a relationship but he called off a plan for the pair to marry on the day of the wedding. Allan said he was diagnosed with an attachment disorder after watching his mother die in a car accident when he was three. He claimed he was now disgusted that he took videos.

He claimed that the victim was conscious and consenting when he was tied up by the accused. He was asked why he continued after the victim passed out and said he did not know he was doing something wrong at the time.

Allan said he was in love with Brister but claimed the older man ill-treated him: "I was treated more like a dog than a servant. He was just a violent, angry man."

Allan, who was on bail, was remanded in custody following the verdicts. Brister was already in prison awaiting trial. The pair were told they will be on the sex offenders' register.