A paedophile former police officer who plotted to conceive a baby to sexually abuse it is out of prison and has been rehoused - a five minute walk from an Ayr nursery school.

Alexander McCracken, 39, was released back onto the streets of Ayr just before Christmas and has been rehoused in a one-bedroom flat.

The shamed former police officer was jailed in 2015, for four-and-a-half years, after admitting sharing horrific images of child abuse online, with then-girlfriend Sharon Campbell.

The perverted couple, who described themselves as "no limits pedo couple, especially love newborn baby" plotted to conceive a baby together so they could abuse it, a court heard.

McCracken said he wanted to "breed a baby boy" to abuse "as soon as born", and would 'deffo rape a little baby girl'.

He admitted three charges of possessing and distributing indecent images of children at Ayr Sheriff Court, and was released in December 2018.

But a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, questioned why McCracken was allowed to live so close to a school after being released.

Shadow Justice Secretary Liam Kerr said it was 'shocking...the fact someone guilty of such a horrific crime is free to walk the streets at all'.

A source said: "I don't understand why he was able to get flat by a school.
"He's still denying what he's done. His family are still choosing to believe him.

"There's just no remorse or decency.

"He tried to get a job at a local meat factory but he didn't have much luck there.

"He even got thrown out of the gym last week as the owner found out who he was and didn't want to lose customers."

Disgraced McCracken had spent nine years with Strathclyde Police before being exposed in 2010 as a swinger and £400-a-night bisexual prostitute.

Police found more than 500 hardcore child abuse and bestiality images when they raided his home in Ayr, many of which were passed on to other paedophiles.

McCracken and partner Sharon Campbell were sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison having admitted three charges of possessing and distributing indecent images of children at Ayr Sheriff Court.

Of the 551 images, 33 were of the most depraved possible, and most were passed among paedophiles between July 2012 and October 2013.

But McCracken was recently spotted swaggering around his local high street before sitting in a dentist's waiting room for an hour, amongst children as young as five-years-old.

It is understood the pervert has been banned from his local gym after owners uncovered his true identity.

The source added: "I have a young kid and I don't feel great with the knowledge he's just walking about.

"I'm sure most parents would feel the same.

"He's banned from seeing Sharon but he's still out there without a care."

Both McCracken and Campbell were each given ten-year Sexual Offences Prevention Orders, put on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

McCracken and Campbell each have one child from previous relationships who they were banned from seeing at the time of sentencing, when they were also banned from using any device which would give them access to the internet.

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said: "Obviously individuals like this have to be housed somewhere.

"But many people will understandably be furious at how close the accommodation is to a nursery.

"Perhaps the more shocking element of this episode is the fact someone guilty of such a horrific crime is free to walk the streets at all."

A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service confirmed McCracken has no active cases.