A Dundee man has been sentenced for committing violent and sexual offences against children.
At the High Court in Glasgow last month, George Stuart, of Broughty Ferry, was found guilty of crimes dating as far back as 1997.
Today he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Detective Chief Inspector Graham Binnie said: “George Stuart preyed on vulnerable women and children and subjected his victims to horrendous abuse.
“The sentencing today reflects the gravity of his crimes and I hope the victims, whose bravery must be recognised, can over time continue to move forward with their lives. I hope this brings them some comfort and closure.”
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Stuart, 57, of Kintail Place, was found guilty after trial of six charges against him involving four separate complainers.
Not guilty pleas to a further two charges were accepted by the Crown.
He was found guilty of a charge that between 1997 and 2000, at an address in the Coldside area of the city, he indecently assaulted a child who cannot be named for legal reasons by removing the child’s clothing, restraining them, placing his hand over their mouth, indecently touching them and raping them.
He was found guilty of a second charge involving the same child that between the same dates at the same location, he seized the child on the body and struck the child on the body with a belt and a slipper to their injury.
Stuart was found guilty of a third charge, between the same dates and at the same location, that he assaulted another child by striking them on the body with his hand, a belt and a slipper to their injury.
He was also found guilty of a charge, again on the same dates and location, of shouting, swearing, acting in an aggressive manner, uttering threats of violence and threatening to throw pans of boiling water at a woman.
The jury also found him guilty of, on various occasions between 2005 and 2009, at an address in the Woodside area of the city, indecently assaulting a third child by sexually touching them and kissing them.
And Stuart was found guilty of a sixth charge, against the same person, that between 2005 and 2006 at an address in the Woodside area of Dundee, he indecently assaulted the same child, held them down, attempted to remove his own clothing, attempted to remove the child’s clothing, sexually touched them, struggled with them and attempted to rape them.
Not guilty pleas to two further charges of assault and rape were accepted by the Crown at the trial, which concluded on September 6.
Detective Chief Inspector Binnie added today: “We are committed to supporting victims of sexual crimes and investigating those responsibly and bringing them to justice.
“We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of this type of crime to come forward and report it.”
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