OAP who abused child ‘deserves to die in jail’

A RELATIVE of a child who was sexually assaulted today said the abuser is an “evil monster” who “deserves to die in jail”.

Charles Clark, 81, was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow of sexually abusing the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Clark, the retired owner of a shoe repair shop in Dundee, was found guilty of four charges, including using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards the child.

He was also found guilty of making the child watch pornographic videos.

And the pensioner was found guilty of two further charges of possessing indecent i mages of children.

A further charge of having raped the same child was withdrawn by the Crown.

The offences were committed at various addresses in Dundee and Arbroath i n the mid-1990s and early 2000s.

Speaking today, the relative of the victim said Clark “deserved to die in jail” for his “disgusting” crimes.

The relative believes Clark is a “danger to the public” and added: “What he did was a huge betrayal of trust.

“You never expect that of anyone, so to find out he had done those things was very hard to accept. “He is an evil monster. “It was pointed out to me that with him being 81, he’s likely to die in jail.

“I think he deserves that.”

The relative added: “It took so long for him to be found guilty for what he did and he had his freedom for years afterwards.

“He should never be released — he’s obviously a danger to the public. “His crimes were disgusting.” Judge Lord Ericht deferred sentence for the preparation of reports and placed Clark on the sex offenders register.

Clark will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday October 5.

Clark was a well-known figure in the Coldside area of Dundee, having owned McLeod’s Shoe Repair shop in Strathmartine Road until last year, when he retired after 49 years.

Charles Clark, 81, pictured outside his former shop McLeod’s Shoe Repair in May last year.