A man who admitted molesting three young girls was jailed for more than two and a half years when he appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
Edmund Miller, from Buckhaven, began abusing the youngest of his victims when she walked in on him as he carried out a sex act on himself.
Sheriff Craig McSherry, who heard Miller carried out the offences over an 18-year period, said it was obvious the abuse would continue to have an impact on his victims.
Miller (58), of Shore Street, pleaded guilty when the case called in March to five charges involving indecent behaviour towards the youngsters.
The youngest of the three was just six when the abuse began. It lasted until she was 15. The other two girls were 12 when the abuse began.
The offences took place at two addresses in west Fife between January 1985 and December 2003.
Depute fiscal Brian Robertson told Sheriff McSherry one of the complainers had provided a victim impact statement.
The first three charges related to the same girl and Mr Robertson said the abuse began when she was aged about six.
She walked into a bedroom where the accused was performing a sex act on himself. Miller indecently assaulted her as she pretended to be asleep.
His behaviour began to escalate and he began to get her to touch him.
The accused admitted the abuse would take place while the girl’s mother was at work.
The abuse continued as she got older and at times would take place every other day, Mr Robertson added. He said, “On occasion she would open her eyes and kick out at him.”
Miller would briefly stop, then continue what he was doing.
He was still abusing the girl when she was in high school, but she learned to get up and walk away. Miller asked her not to tell anyone.
The abuse stopped when she learned to say no a couple of times.
The second girl was 12 when Miller entered her bedroom.
She knew he had been drinking and said she got the impression things might have gone further, but the accused was disturbed.
In her victim impact statement she said the incident, which was never repeated, had a significant impact on her life.
As for the third girl, Mr Robertson said the abuse began when Miller went to her room.
Events came to an end when she told a teacher at school.
Mr Robertson concluded by saying the accused had not spent any time in custody in connection with the offences.
Solicitor Alasdair Macleod said Miller admitted the offences at an early stage. He insisted Miller was remorseful.
A report suggested a lot of work could be done by social workers with Miller.
Sheriff McSherry said, “The periods involved were quite lengthy.
“I have a victim impact statement from the complainer in charge four and it is obvious your behaviour towards one of these girls has affected them and will continue to affect them.”
He said given the seriousness of the offences he would have jailed him for 48 months, but for his early plea.
Instead he imposed a sentence of 32 months and told Miller he would remain on licence for three years following his release.
During that time he was ordered to attend the sex offenders group work programme.
Miller’s name will also be added to the sex offenders register for 10 years.