A “predatory, opportunistic and sexually abusive” father has been convicted of raping his daughter when she was just four.
Duncan Houston was found guilty by unanimous verdict at the High Court in Aberdeen of raping his daughter Nikki on a number of occasions between 1994 and 2002.
His daughter, who is now 33 and has waived her right to anonymity, told the jury that the 1994 rape was her “first memory as a child”.
The 59-year-old former soldier was additionally convicted of a further charge of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices by kissing her on the mouth, inducing her to touch his penis and touching her private parts.
A jury of nine men and six women took less than an hour to find Houston guilty by unanimous verdict of the historic sex offences.
Following the decision, it was revealed that Houston had already served jail time for the rape of the same child during a Hogmanay party at his home in Aberdeen in 2000.
Rapist smelled of cigarettes, stale lager and Old Spice
Upon the verdict being read out, Judge Lady Drummond told Houston that he had been found guilty of “serious sexual offences”.
She pointed out his previous rape and indecency convictions from 2002, for which Houston served eight years in prison.
Judy Lady Drummond continued: “You must realise that the offences you have just been convicted of are very serious and themselves merit a significant custodial sentence.”
Making Houston subject to the sex offenders register and ordering a criminal justice social work report, the judge denied bail and remanded him in custody.
As he was placed in handcuffs and led to the cells, Houston glared at the jury members who had convicted him.
During the trial, Ms Houston gave evidence and told jurors about the first time her father raped her when they were left alone at a house in the Mastrick area of Aberdeen in 1994.
When asked what she could remember of that night, Ms Houston told jurors that she recalled the smell of “cigarettes, stale lager and Old Spice” aftershave on Houston’s body.
She described the 1994 rape as her “first memory as a child”.
Raped again as they watched film
Ms Houston went on to outline another occasion where she was raped by her father as they watched the film Buffy The Vampire Slayer when she was around eight or nine at a house in Northfield.
It was stated that he made a bed for them on the ground in front of the television before once again climbing on top of her and sexually assaulting her.
She said that Houston would stroke her hand and that was a signal she would “be hurt again that night”.
Asked by advocate depute John McElroy KC how many sexual incidents took place, she told him it was “too many to count”.
“How did all this make you feel?” Mr McElroy asked.
“I’m ashamed to admit it but because I was a child and because it had gone on for so long I thought it was normal,” she said.
Duncan Houston’s defence advocate Frances Conner quizzed Ms Houston over why she didn’t tell police about the additional instances of rape when they first questioned her in the early 2000s.
“Because I was a child,” Ms Houston replied.
“I was terrified. It was quite an uncomfortable experience. I can’t explain why I didn’t let it all out then. I was scared and I was a child.”
“Now I don’t have to live with that horrible feeling of injustice,” she said.
“The world now knows what he has done and that he will be punished.”
Ms Houston also pointed out that, not only was this an important verdict for her, it was important for other victims of historic rape and sexual abuse.
“This is so important. It’s not just a win for me, this for every other victim out there, ” she said.
Duncan Houston, of Great Northern Road, Aberdeen, will be sentenced next month at the High Court in Edinburgh.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen-aberdeenshire/6226971/i-died-at-the-age-of-four-aberdeen-child-rape-survivor-speaks-out-as-dad-found-guilty/
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