The Fife detectives who caught a Kirkcaldy flasher – ending his seven-year reign of terror – have lifted the lid on the “landmark” investigation that brought him to justice.
Gavin Morrison targeted children, teenagers and lone women in a series of despicable crimes stretching back to 2015.
The married father of two, from Kirkcaldy, was eventually apprehended in 2022 thanks to Operation Lazuril – a far-reaching police investigation devised to catch him.
Detectives used the latest mobile phone technology, CCTV footage, witness testimonies and thousands of hours of painstaking detective work to prove beyond all doubt that Morrison was the culprit.
He was found guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court of 10 separate crimes committed in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
Detective Inspector Sammi Davidson was tasked with overseeing Operation Lazuril.
Speaking exclusively to The Courier, she has recalled the mounting pressure to catch Morrison and the breakthrough moments in the case.
She said: “What we had was sporadic but consistent crimes stretching back nearly a decade, predominantly in the Templehall area of Kirkcaldy.
“The modus operandi was the same each time with young and teenage girls and vulnerable women the target during the hours of darkness.
“He would remove clothing, expose his genitalia, and on some occasions masturbate.
“Due to the lack of CCTV footage and any forensic evidence, it was obvious each incident had been meticulously planned.
“These weren’t impulsive or opportunist crimes but ones committed by a ruthless and determined predator.”
First mistake by Kirkcaldy flasher gave police major breakthrough
Police called in help from the National Crime Agency and behavioural experts to get a profile of the culprit.
DI Davidson said: “Given the secluded locations and planned escape routes, the analysis pointed the flasher almost certainly living within the very community he was targeting.”
A massive breakthrough came in October 2022 when Morrison targeted two females on St Kilda Crescent.
It was his first mistake, with CCTV capturing him lying in wait in an alley and then carrying out a sexual act.
Police now had their first sight of the suspect.
What’s more, they had footage of Morrison’s sordid actions.
A mammoth police effort followed as officers secured hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to show how Morrison had arrived and later fled the scene.
DI Davidson said: “It was the first chink in Morrison’s armour but it was also a very scary moment for police.
“That footage of him in the act heightened our fears that his offending could escalate and it was now more vital than ever that he was stopped.”
Flasher drove past victims to revel in their distress
The footage provided detectives’ second big break in the identity of Morrison’s car, a Vauxhall Astra.
He was mapped cruising the streets, parking up in secluded places then retracing his routes as he searched for his next victim.
Most sinister of all was that the footage showed Morrison revelling in the distress of his teenage victims after he had carried out the St Kilda Crescent offence.
“Instead of driving away from the scene, footage shows Morrison driving back past his victims after the police had arrived,” said DI Davidson.
“Not content with committing the crime, he purposely goes back past his victims – experiencing further gratification from their distress.”
Further analysis of the car’s number plate eventually led police to Morrison’s door.
Detectives now finally had the name of their suspect.
Morrison was arrested and a search of his home yielded clothing, hats and masks matching those seen on CCTV.
However, Morrison denied he was responsible for the most recent incident – claiming he had been at home with his wife that night.
Police collated detailed cell site analysis showing that Morrison’s mobile had hit off phone masts in the St Kilda Crescent area at the time of the flashing.
Subsequent pings off other masts also aligned Morrison’s phone with the movement of his car, confirmed by the CCTV footage.
An automatic fitness app on Morrison’s phone also linked his movements to those already pieced together by investigators.
Police ‘lived and breathed case for 3 years’
On December 1 2022, Morrison was charged with the St Kilda Crescent offence.
While he was bailed and under strict curfew, police worked tirelessly to prove he was the perpetrator of similar crimes in the area stretching over a seven-year period.
Last week, a jury at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court found him guilty of offences dating back to 2015.
DI Davidson says her team’s investigation has been hailed a “landmark” case, thanks to the level of detective work and forensic analysis.
The work was also commended by Sheriff James Williamson, who presided over the trial.
DI Davidson added: “I’ve been a police officer for 20 years, 14 of those connected to CID, and have never experienced any investigation like it before.
“Detective Sergeant Michael Hogg, Detective Constables Carol Fraser and Martin Ronald, and myself, lived and breathed this and nothing else for nearly three years so it was a proud and emotional day in court.
“Most of all, it’s the result for the brave victims whose evidence and harrowing testimonies were vital in bringing Gavin Morrison to justice.”
Morrison will be sentenced at a later date.
