A former police officer who plotted to sexually abuse a baby with his partner has been rehoused near a nursery school following his release from prison.

Alexander McCracken was jailed for four years in 2015 after admitting sharing sickening images of child abuse online with his then-girlfriend Sharon Campbell.

The couple, who described themselves as 'no limits paedo couple', planned to have a baby together to abuse and share with other paedophiles, the court heard.

The 39-year-old was released from jail shortly before Christmas and has now been rehomed in a one-bedroom flat in South Ayrshire.

Alexander McCracken pictured on the streets of his home village in Scotland after his release from prison last year

His trial in 2015 heard how McCracken said he wanted to 'breed a baby boy' to abuse 'as soon as born', and would 'deffo rape a little baby girl'.

McCracken and his 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.

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

The 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, South Ayrshire, many of which were passed on to other paedophiles.

The 39-year-old was released from jail shortly before Christmas and has now been rehomed in a one-bedroom flat in South Ayrshire

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

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.'

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.

They each have one child from previous relationships who they were banned from seeing at the time of sentencing.

They were also banned from using any device which would give them access to the internet.