A former foster carer who sexually assaulted two children in the Highlands then left them too terrified to speak up has been jailed for two years.
Francis Ward was convicted after a trial of sexually assaulting two young and vulnerable girls between 2012 and 2014.
The 70-year-old had denied the offences but was found guilty by jury of kissing and touching one girl when she was just eight, and molesting a second victim from the age of 11.
An allegation that Ward, formerly of Dornoch, Sutherland, also raped the older girl was deleted.
He was jailed at the High Court in Edinburgh for two years today.
Victims spoke up at trial
She said Ward told her that if she spoke to anyone her family would be hurt.
She said she later found the courage to speak up and told support workers who were helping her at the time.
She said that as a child Ward would call her “sexy” and tell her she had “a good body”.
Defence counsel Ian Duguid QC invited the court to deal with Ward by the imposition of a non-custodial sentence, although he added: “I fully recognise these are offences which might normally attract a custodial sentence.”
Asked for pensioner to be spared jail
He said Ward had ongoing and serious health issues that required him to attend the hospital for iron infusions and kidney treatment.
Mr Duguid said that Ward, now of North Drive, Wallasey, Liverpool, posed a low likelihood of re-offending.
He told the court: “His physical condition is seriously impaired by his general ill-health.”
However, judge Lady Scott deemed the seriousness and long-lasting impact of Ward’s offending “requires a prison sentence.”
Crimes were for sexual gratification
She said: “These are offences which will have long-lasting negative effects on both of your victims.”
Lady Scott told Ward that the sentence would be substantially reduced from what he might otherwise have faced for such crimes.
She added that Ward’s criminal conduct was committed for the purpose of his own sexual gratification.
Ward was jailed for two years and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for the next 10 years.
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