An Angus pensioner was jailed for eight years on Tuesday for the horrific abuse of three young girls after a court heard he posed a “serious risk” to female children.
Alexander Moore, 82, of Arbroath, preyed on his victims in a campaign of abuse spanning more than 20 years.
Moore targeted the children, aged between eight and 15 at the time, while already on the sex offenders’ register.
He had been locked up in 1999 for crimes against young girls.
Moore was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.
The OAP had earlier been convicted at a trial in Edinburgh of six charges including rape and lewd and libidinous behaviour.
The offences occurred in Arbroath between 1982 and 2006.
A jury convicted Moore of a string of sexual offences against the three little girls over a 24-year-period.
He raped a child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on various occasions at a house in Arbroath between June 2000 and July 2005.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Moore also sexually assaulted another two schoolgirls, who also cannot be identified, at a location in the town.
He also repeatedly raped one of the girls.
The court heard how Moore started abusing his victims in June 1982.
He was finally brought to justice after the girls courageously spoke to police about what happened to them.
At his court appearance in Edinburgh he was convicted on a total of six charges. He had denied all charges against him but jurors took just two hours to find him guilty.
Following conviction, prosecution lawyer Peter Ferguson QC told the court Moore had previously served three months for “sexual” offences.
He has also spent time on the sex offenders register.
Defence solicitor advocate Chris Fyffe asked for bail for his client, which was refused.
Moore appeared at Glasgow High Court on Tuesday for sentencing.
Lord Ericht said a pre-sentencing report branded Moore a “serious risk” to female children.
The judge went on: “You have breached the trust of three children.
“It is clear from victim impact statements they are still living with the consequences of the harm that you have done to them.”
Children’s charity NSPCC Scotland welcomed the sentence and said it hoped it would encourage other victims of abuse to seek justice.
A spokesman said: “Abuse ruins childhoods and Moore’s appalling actions have blighted his victims’ lives into adulthood.
“Moore clearly poses a risk to children and it is entirely right that he has faced the consequences of his horrific crimes and will once again spend years behind bars.
“This case shows once again that it is never too late for survivors of abuse to come forward and seek justice for what they endured as well as to receive the help and support they need.”
