Depraved couple drugged, raped and murdered a stranger introduced to them by a mutual friend for ‘sexual gratification’

• Calum Simpson was drugged, tied up and sexually abused by Dylan Brister and Cameron Allan
• The father of three died after being administered the Class C drug Etizolam
• Brister admitted during the harrowing evidence in court that he and Allan had “raped him and continued to have sex”

Two depraved murderers drugged and raped a complete stranger. The man died after powerful drugs were injected into his drink.

Calum Simpson, 24, father of three, never regained consciousness after being poisoned by the drug etizolam and alcohol. His youngest child was born 11 days earlier.

Dylan Brister, 27, and Cameron Allan, 21, were warned yesterday that they face life sentences for the murder of Mr Simpson at Brister’s home in Methil, Fife.

The killers had been looking for a man to abuse before Mr Simpson showed up at their home with a mutual friend.

During the trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, the jury was shown graphic footage from Allan’s phone, along with photographs of the horrific injuries the dead man suffered in the attack.

After the jury unanimously convicted the couple of sexual assault, rape and murder, trial judge Lord Harrower told the jury: “The evidence is of the most shocking kind this court has ever had to hear.”

He said that given the sensitive nature of the trial, all jurors had the right to receive counseling services if needed and excused them from further jury duty for the rest of their lives.

The judge told Brister and Allan that there was only one punishment for murder, life imprisonment, but he would adjourn the hearing until next month to hear background reports on the couple.

Deputy Attorney Angela Gray told the jury: “This is a plan by the two defendants to drug Calum Simpson so that he would not be able to stand up. They administered drugs to him for their sexual gratification. The administration of the drugs was malicious and reckless and they did so with complete disregard for the safety and life of Calum Simpson.”

She said the film offers “a glimpse into the depravity” and dynamic between Brister and Allan.

During the recording, Allan can be heard saying to his accomplice: “At least he’s still breathing.”

The court heard that Allan and Brister had attempted to recruit a man to have a threesome with them, but efforts to find a participant were unsuccessful.

A man who met Allan at a first Pride event in Dundee was told they were going to “choke” him and wanted to tie him up and abuse him, but he refused to go along with it.

Mrs Gray said: “And then along comes Calum Simpson, a total stranger.”

Mr Simpson came to the house with a friend, Dylan Stewart, who knew the two, and later left, leaving him alone with the two.

Ms Gray said: “There was no evidence that Calum Simpson had homosexual tendencies.”

The couple denied murdering Mr Simpson by drugging him without his knowledge, causing him to lose consciousness, and they were prohibited from giving or getting medical attention to the victim.

The predatory pair were also convicted of sexually abusing and raping their victim after she was unconscious. The victim’s wrists were tied with rope during the attack.

Brister, who received almost £1,200 a month in benefits, had won more than £20,000 gambling and bought 1,000 tablets for £200.

He claimed he believed it was genuine diazepam, properly packaged and delivered in a pharmacy carry bag.

But Allan, who said he was present when the medication was handed over, said that it was just strips of medication in a freezer bag and that they had a warning label on them.

He said the woman who supplied them warned Brister they were strong, adding: “That’s why she gave the warning, someone has already died from taking them.”

Forensic evidence suggested that glasses, including a champagne glass and a shot glass with a skull on it, were laced with etizolam before the victim drank from them.

An experienced forensic pathologist who saw Mr Simpson’s injuries told the court: “If the person was awake and fully conscious, it would be very painful.”

The court heard evidence that Brister had previously mixed diazepam into a woman’s drink in 2018 and put tablets in another person’s mouth without their consent.

Brister stated in court that he suffers from complex post-traumatic stress disorder and a personality disorder and is taking antipsychotic medication.

Brister said: “We raped him and continued to have sex. It is what it is: disgusting. It should never have happened. I will make no excuses,” he said.

Allan told police he had been having “bad thoughts about sex” because of what happened to him in his youth, adding: “This is the first time I have acted on those thoughts.”

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

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

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