A former police officer from Fife was jailed for a second time for carrying out sex crimes against boys in the RAF cadets.
Colin Fowler plied youngsters with alcohol and abused them after meeting them through the air training corps.
The latest victim to come forward was a teenager when he was subjected to two indecent assaults by Fowler after he was invited to the policeman’s then-home in Anstruther and offered drink.
Lord Armstrong told Fowler at the High Court in Edinburgh: “You pled guilty to two charges which involved calculating, manipulative and predatory sexual abuse of a young boy who you knew through your involvement with the RAF cadets.”
The judge jailed him for 16 months and told him his offending had “devastating and ongoing, long term consequences” for the victim – the third boy he has been convicted of abusing.
He said: “Society has an abhorrence of such conduct and it is the responsibility of the court to reflect that.”
“I am satisfied that in your case there is no appropriate alternative disposal to one of imprisonment.”
Sentencing
Fowler, 81, was previously jailed for four-and-a-half years in 2018 for committing sexual offences against two other boys from the cadets.
He was released on licence in 2021.
Lord Armstrong said in sentencing Fowler for the latest crimes to emerge he took into account his age, health, the historical nature of the offending and that it was, in effect, a continuation of the previous course of conduct.
The judge also discounted the sentence from 18 months following the pensioner’s guilty plea.
He placed him on the Sex Offenders Register.
Pattern of offending
Fowler, of Harbourlea, Anstruther, admitted carrying out two indecent assaults against the third victim, who was 17 to 18, between January and December in 1982 at his former home in the Fife village’s East Green.
He was serving with Fife Constabulary at the time of the crimes and was a cadet leader at RAF Pitreavie, Dunfermline.
Advocate depute Eric Roberston told the court Fowler’s previous convictions were “directly analogous” to the latest charges as the victims were all befriended by him while they were involved with the cadets and he would supply them with alcohol after inviting them to his home and sharing a bed with them.
The prosecutor said the latest victim to come forward knew of Fowler’s connection with the police and did not think he would be believed if he told anyone what had happened to him.
He did call Dunfermline police station in the 1980s to report Fowler but did not receive a call back.
After learning of the predator’s other offences, he contacted Police Scotland.
Mr Robertson said Fowler’s abuse caused the victim “anguish, depression and difficulty finding enjoyment in life”.
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