One of the victims of a north-east sexual predator has branded him a “monster” after he was found guilty of raping and sexually abusing five girls over a 12-year period.
Albert Bremner, 58, stood trial at the High Court in Aberdeen this week facing numerous allegations of rape and historical sexual abuse of girls in the north-east between 1993 and 2005 – with two of his victims only six years old at the time of his offences.
A jury of seven women and eight men unanimously found Bremner guilty of all 11 charges yesterday after deliberating for less the three hours.
He will be sentenced on May 28.
Advocate depute Chris Fyffe described how Bremner manipulated the five girls, then aged between six and 14 using bribes such as sweets and cigarettes and orchestrating a “pattern of abuse” during the 1990s and early 2000s.
It was also revealed Bremner had a number of previous convictions, including a five-year sentence in 2009 after a pictures of two girls were found at his home in Keith.
One victim, who was abused by Bremner from the age of six to 14, described his conviction as “amazing news” for those he preyed upon.
She said: “It’s nice to actually be believed and it’s great to know he’s never actually going to get out of jail again.
“It’s disgusting what he’s put us victims through. He was a vicious predator, a monster.
“I’m still angry at him and I will always hate him for what he’s done. He claimed for years that we’d lied, but it’s now been shown in court that it was him who lied – he’s the guilty party here.”
The woman, now 35-years old, also encouraged other victims of historical sexual abuse to “never give up” in their search for justice.
She said: “Keep going back to police. I kept being told that there was no evidence, but clearly there was evidence.
“Never be silenced. Be brave and strong. It’s better to report it than not report it.”
The court heard evidence on Thursday from one 27-year-old witness who said Bremner repeatedly raped her when she was nine, threatening to hurt her father if she didn’t comply.
Advocate Depute Chris Fyffe said the accused had also raped a six-year old girl in 2004 during the weekend of the Keith Country Show by bribing her with money for candyfloss.
He added that Bremner’s crimes had many similarities, such as the use of a Polaroid camera to take pictures of the girls, alongside the use of sweets and cigarettes as a bribe.
Bremner, who is subject to a life-long restriction order, was also found guilty of sexually assaulting and raping three other girls in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Lady Poole, who presided over the case, thanked the jury for their service.
Detective Sergeant David Robertson, who led the investigation into Bremner, said: “Albert Bremner is a dangerous and predatory individual who used coercion to commit horrific acts of abuse over an extensive period of time.
“We welcome this conviction and hope that it offers some comfort to the victims, as they move on from their ordeal.
“I would also like to commend the bravery of every victim who came forward and assisted our investigation. Their reports and the evidence they provided has been instrumental in bringing Bremner to justice.”
“We treat all reports of sexual crime with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity. Anyone who has been subjected to abuse should feel confident that we will believe them and thoroughly investigate.”