An army veteran plied a 12-year-old girl with cigarettes and alcohol and repeatedly molested her at remote locations around Kirriemuir.
Sinister John Tervet lured the youngster to secluded spots with promises of alcohol, sent her sexual images of his crotch and boxer shorts and told her: “Come alone.”
The horrific abuse continued for five months, until the girl plucked up the courage to tell her family.
Tervet, 58, denied any wrongdoing and told police his victim vengefully made up allegations because he refused to buy her drink for a party.
Following a week-long trial at Forfar Sheriff Court, a jury rejected Tervet’s claims and found him guilty of a series of sex crimes against the youngster.
He was also convicted of sexually assaulting an adult woman two years earlier.
Family delight at conviction
After returning their verdict, jurors were applauded by the girl’s family.
They said afterwards: “We have been fighting for this for the last six years.
“Today we’ve finally got the decision we wanted but it shouldn’t have had to take so long.”
Tervet’s conviction was partly secured by a written statement read out during the trial from the girl’s mother, who died before the case came to court.
“She got her wish,” the family said.
‘Total weirdo’
Tervet – in the words of his young victim, a “total weirdo” – was convicted of sexually assaulting her several times at secluded spots around Kirriemuir, including a lay-by near Caddam Woods.
He kissed her on the lips, touched her breasts over her clothing, lowered her trousers and underwear and kissed her on the body.
The abuse – all carried out in silence – began in January 2017 and continued until May that year.
Tervet was further found guilty of intentionally meeting the then-12-year-old and trying to engage her in unlawful sexual activity.
He sent her sexual messages and culpably and recklessly supplied her with cigarettes and alcohol.
Tervet was also found guilty of twice sexually assaulting a Kirriemuir woman who had employed him as her gardener in the summer of 2015.
Trusted family friend
The court heard Tervet’s young victim was the daughter of a family friend.
The teenager said he forced himself on her five times.
Fiscal depute Gavin Letford told jurors: “She was 12 years old when this conduct started.
“And it continued after her 13th birthday, until she eventually told her brother and mother.”
Tervet had contacted the girl and arranged to meet her with gifts of cigarettes and alcohol.
He sent her images by Snapchat of his crotch, with his trousers unbuttoned and his boxer shorts showing.
Tervet denied sending the photos but the girl said she recognised his clothing and the furniture visible in the background.
When asked why she did not report the abuse sooner, the youngster – now 19 – said she was scared and did not want Tervet to get into trouble.
But she confronted him and he told her he would stop.
“He did not stop,” said Mr Letford.
The prosecutor asked the jury: “If this was a calculated and planned lie in revenge for him not buying her alcohol for a party, then how was she able to provide the court with such clear details?
“It is because she experienced these incidents first hand and she told you the truth.”
Late mother’s statement
In a statement read out by witness PC Amy Donaldson, the victim’s mother told investigators how she initially trusted Tervet.
He used to take her daughter out in his car, she said.
She was concerned her little girl “looked flushed in the face” when she returned.
She later challenged Tervet after her daughter told her what had been going on and demanded to know: “What have you been doing with my daughter in the woods?”
Tervet denied he had touched the girl and said he never used Snapchat.
When his then wife found a Snapchat account attached to his email address, he said: “Someone must have hacked me.”
Silent abuser
During the police investigation, detectives became aware of Tervet’s second victim.
She was an adult woman who had asked him to do gardening work at her home in Kirriemuir.
The woman told jurors how she felt his breath on his neck as he wrapped himself around her while she was bent over picking weeds.
On a second occasion in her kitchen, he reached out and grabbed her breast.
Mr Letford said that during those assaults – like the incidents involving the young girl – Tervet did not say a word.
Disbelief at verdict
Tervet shook his head in apparent disbelief when the jury returned its verdict.
Defence solicitor Nick Whelan had urged jurors not to convict his client, arguing the complainers were not credible or reliable witnesses.
The trial heard Snapchat records, obtained by lawyers from app owners Snap Inc via the US Department of Justice, did not show evidence of around 30 photos that were allegedly sent from Tervet to his young victim.
Sheriff Krista Johnston placed Tervet on the Sex Offenders Register and deferred sentence for background reports. He was released on bail.
Charity promotion
Three years ago, Tervet was involved in publicity for a charity run by the Citizens Advice Bureau.
He spoke of how the Armed Service Advice Project sorted out his benefits after he separated from his partner.
His testimony was recently removed from CAB’s website.
His financial situation was raised during the trial, with his solicitor suggesting he could not afford to ply his young victim with drink and cigarettes.
But his ex-wife told the court Tervet did cash-in-hand jobs for local people after closing down his gardening business.
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