A “remorseless” disgraced Dundee charity champion has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after being convicted of attacking girls when he was a child.
61-year-old Gareth Norman raped a seven-year-old girl between 1975 and 1977 in a caravan in Dumfries.
He was also found guilty of molesting another young girl, aged 12 when the abuse began, at an address in Dundee between 1975 and 1978.
Norman, of Spence Place in Dundee, acted as the head of the city’s now defunct Night Ministry.
He was well-known for his work as a “street angel” distributing food and vital supplies to the city’s homeless population.
He previously held volunteer positions with the Royal Navy Reserve and as a first aider with the British Red Cross.
After a trial last month, Norman was convicted and remanded ahead of Thursday’s sentencing.
Following the preparation of background reports, father-of-five Norman was jailed and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Child at time of offences
He appeared at the High Court in Dundee via a video link from HMP Perth.
Solicitor advocate Iain Paterson stressed his client was a child at the time of the offending.
He said: “Mr Norman was convicted in relation to charges one, two, five and seven.
“In relation to the charges, charge one is a crime of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour on various occasions.
“There was an amendment to the date.
“The accused therefore would have been between 13 and 17 in relation to that charge.
“Charge two is the most serious of the charges, which was a single occasion.
“The accused would have been between the age of 13 and 15.
“Obviously, he was a child at the time of all of the offences.
“The complainers were between seven and 11 in charge one, eight and nine in charge two, 12 in charge five and 13 to 14 in charge seven.”
Low risk of re-offending
Turning to background reports, Mr Paterson said: “He’s assessed as low risk, effectively.
“In the intervening period, there were no other offences that have been committed.
“These are the only matters that he has ever been convicted of in his life.
“In my submission, the basis of any sentencing is punishment.
“There’s no issue of protection of the public.”
‘No remorse’
During the week-long trial, the High Court In Dundee heard evidence the rape victim’s character changed after her ordeal, becoming shy and withdrawn around her parents and family.
Judge Lady Drummond said: “I’ve read a victim impact statement from one of the girls and it’s clear to me from that your behaviour has had a lifelong and harmful effect on her.
“You are now aged 61, you have no previous convictions, you’ve been in employment most of your life.
“You’re assessed as a low risk of sexual reconviction and reoffending.
“You’ve accepted no responsibility and no remorse.
“For offences of this gravity, the only sentence that is appropriate is imprisonment.”
Reformed character after BNP past
Norman acted as the head of the Night Ministry in Dundee and also helped with the Coastwatch safety scheme.
Described in court as an “active member of the community”, the security guard had built a reputation as a born-again Christian in the city.
He had previously worked as an organiser for the British National Party, before standing as a candidate for Solidarity — the nationalist organisation set-up by convicted perjurer Tommy Sheridan.
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