A man grinned and laughed in the dock after being found guilty of tying up, blindfolding and raping a teenage girl.
A jury at the High Court in Aberdeen unanimously found James Freeman guilty of two charges of rape and one of sexual assault.
The 49-year-old abused the girl over a number of years, first sexually assaulting her at a caravan park in Sutherland when she was aged just 10 or 11 by touching her sexually.
Freeman also raped the child on various occasions at addresses in Aberdeen and Banff, while she was 11 or 12.
And on various occasions, while she was between 13 and 15, at locations in Banff, Nairn and even a derelict building in Portsoy, Freeman pushed and held the child down on a bed, tied her arms together, blindfolded her and raped her.
‘A substantial custodial sentence is inevitable’
Freeman, of Maclean Terrace, Portsoy, had denied the charges against him and did not react as the jury returned their verdicts, but, as the security officer applied handcuffs, he grinned and laughed.
Defence counsel Bert Kerrigan QC said: “In light of the jury’s verdict, I have no motion for bail.”
He asked for sentence to be deferred for reports, including one from Royal Cornhill Hospital in Aberdeen.
Judge Collins said: “A substantial custodial sentence is inevitable in this case, and the accused will be remanded in custody pending sentence.”
He deferred sentence until next month, initially for a social work report. He made Freeman subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act in the meantime.
Thanking the jury, the judge acknowledged that the evidence in the case had “not been pleasant”.
On leaving the court to be led to the prison van, Freeman smiled at the Press and Journal photographer, before telling him he was “sad” and should “get a life”.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen and the latest crime and breaking incidents, join our new Facebook group HERE.
