A child rapist has been convicted of the horrific physical, mental and sexual abuse of young girls – more than 30 years after his victims first reported his crimes to police.
John Sinclair abused the children, aged between three and 13, during the 1970s and 80s in Aberdeenshire but for unknown reasons the authorities decided not to prosecute him.
The High Court in Aberdeen today heard that all five of his victims provided statements to police in 1990 but “for reasons obscured by the passage of time” he was never charged.
The now 72-year-old was finally brought to justice after one of his brave victims provided a statement to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry in 2017.
The Press and Journal asked Police Scotland to comment on the case, however a spokesman said no officer was available today.
He also said they were unable to provide a picture of the serial rapist today.
‘Pattern of physical and sexual abuse’
The pensioner was remanded in custody after admitting a total of 11 charges.
Some of his victims, along with their loved ones, sat in the public gallery of the court and watched as advocate depute Chris Jones described their years of harrowing abuse.
Mr Jones said Sinclair was 27 when he started subjecting the girls to “a pattern of physical and sexual abuse that spanned multiple years”.
That included being struck on the buttocks with a gym shoe or belt, being forced into a bath of “painfully cold water”, and being locked in a dark attic.
There was “an element of degradation” to some of Sinclair’s cruelty, Mr Jones said, including forcing girls to stand outside with their urine-soaked underwear on their heads.
The advocate depute described Sinclair’s actions as being “terrifying” for his victims, who were also “strangled” and threatened with death.
‘It’s inevitable that a significant custodial sentence will be imposed’
One girl was left with permanent hearing impairment after Sinclair forced cotton buds into her ear.
Two of the girls were raped, with one describing the pain as “excruciating” and saying she feared internal damage.
On one occasion a girl only managed to avoid being forced to perform a sexual act on Sinclair by running away and locking herself in a toilet.
Sinclair also threatened to kill the girls in a bid to coerce them into keeping the abuse secret, Mr Jones said.
“Beyond the trauma of suffering the accused’s crimes themselves, each of the complainers has experienced significant distress associated with the proceedings thereafter,” he added.
Mystery surrounds why was wasn’t prosecuted earlier
The advocate depute revealed that Sinclair’s crimes were first reported more than three decades ago.
He said: “Several witnesses made reports of the accused’s criminal behaviour in 1990, and each complainer in this case provided a statement to the police then.
“The accused denied the allegations.
“For reasons obscured by the passage of time, no decision to prosecute was taken.
“In November 2017, one of the complainers provided a statement to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. This led to a re-investigation into the accused’s crimes and prompted this prosecution.”
Pain described as ‘excruciating’
Sinclair, whose address was given as Alexandra Terrace, Fraserburgh, pled guilty to charges including three of assault and rape.
He also admitted assault to injury and permanent impairment, four charges of lewd indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour and three charges of assault to injury.
Judge Graham Buchanan told the rapist: “These are very serious matters indeed and it’s inevitable that, in due course, a significant custodial sentence will be imposed, but I can’t proceed to sentence you today and I will require to obtain background reports.”
He deferred sentence until next month and remanded Sinclair in custody in the meantime.
Defence counsel Edward Targowski QC reserved mitigation until the sentencing hearing.
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